The factional national chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Nafiu Bala, has rejected claims that he resigned from his position as deputy national chairman.
His response follows the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) decision on Wednesday concerning the ongoing leadership crisis within the party.
Speaking in a video, Bala dismissed a document alleging that he stepped down as national vice-chairman on May 17, 2025, insisting it did not originate from him.
“My name is Hon. Nafiu Bala, the ADC acting national chairman,” he said.
“I would like to use this opportunity to address a document currently circulating, which claims that I resigned from my position as national vice chairman on May 17th.
“I wish to state that this paper did not come from me, and that is not my signature on it. The signature you see there was forged.”
Bala explained that he assumed the role of acting national chairman following the resignation of the party’s former leadership.
“If you didn’t forget, on the 2nd of July, we attended the event where some people showed interest in joining our party, the ADC,” he said.
“On that day, the former ADC chairman, Ralph Nwosu, announced that he, his secretary, and other party leaders were stepping down from their positions.
“On that same day, he told the world that I, along with other people, would continue running the party affairs until the national convention.”
He maintained that his current position is in line with the party’s constitution.
“Because of that, I am resuming office today as the ADC national chairman. According to our party constitution, when there is no leader, the deputy takes over,” he said.
Bala added that any resignation from him would be formally issued using his official letterhead.
“When I was deputy national chairman, if I were to write a resignation letter, I would do it using my official letterhead,” he said.
“Any letter not containing my letterhead is not from me.”
He recalled that he had previously dismissed a similar resignation claim on August 1, 2025, describing the document as “entirely false, deceptive, malicious and fake”.
The controversy over Bala’s alleged resignation is part of the broader leadership dispute within the ADC.
David Mark, former senate president and a key figure in the party’s leadership tussle with Bala, had stated that Bala resigned from his position on May 17, 2025, and that the resignation was forwarded to INEC on August 12, 2025. He added that despite the resignation, Bala later approached the court seeking recognition as chairman.
The legal battle between Bala and Mark over the party’s leadership contributed to INEC’s decision to withdraw recognition of the ADC and remove the Mark-led executive from its records.
On September 2, 2025, Bala filed a suit at the federal high court in Abuja seeking to restrain Mark’s team from presenting themselves as party leaders and to compel INEC to recognise him as acting national chairman.
He also requested orders to halt meetings, congresses and conventions of the party pending the outcome of the case.
The motion ex parte was heard on September 4, 2025, with the trial judge, Emeka Nwite, directing the respondents, including INEC, to respond and show cause why the request should not be granted.
Dissatisfied with an interim ruling, Mark filed an appeal challenging the jurisdiction of the federal high court to hear the case.
However, on March 12, 2026, the court of appeal dismissed the appeal in its entirety, ruling that it was incompetent and without merit.