A factional chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Nafiu Bala, has led his supporters to the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja, demanding recognition of his faction.
His protest, which took place on Thursday, comes a day after a David Mark-led ADC faction staged a similar march to the INEC office. During the Thursday’s demonstration, Bala asked INEC to recognise him as the authentic chairman of the ADC, citing a court of appeal ruling. He also said the Mark group is attempting to seize control of the party unlawfully.
Speaking during the protest at the INEC headquarters, Bala said the Mark-led group has engaged in irregular processes, which includes the “unauthorised transfer of party leadership” and deploying “forged signatures” to legitimise its position.
“The incident involving the unauthorised transfer of power to David Mark and his associates raises significant concerns regarding the integrity of governance and the rule of law,” he said. “The intruders, by rudely forging the signatures of genuine members and leaders of the ADC, not only undermined the democratic process but also violated the trust vested in these representatives by their constituents.”
Bala further stated that such actions reflect a troubling trend in which illegitimate means are employed to achieve political ends, thereby eroding public confidence in political institutions. He implored relevant authorities to investigate the allegations and ensure accountability, saying the multi-factional leadership crisis rocking the ADC began after the resignation of Ralph Nwosu as chairman.
Bala asked INEC to update its official records to reflect his position as national chairman, reiterating that doing so would align with the court’s ruling and help restore stability within the party. On April 1, INEC withdrew its recognition of both ADC factions, citing a subsisting court ruling.
The electoral body further stated that it would refrain from monitoring any congresses or conventions conducted by factions of the party pending a definitive ruling by a court of competent jurisdiction. The faction led by Sen. David Mark, whose ranks include prominent political figures such as Peter Obi, Atiku Abubakar, Rotimi Amaechi, and Rabiu Kwankwaso, has consistently criticised INEC’s position, describing the commission as “partisan”.
However, both the APC and the Presidency have rejected the allegations, insisting that the ADC’s challenges are self-inflicted.