Bala Denies Supporting Mark's Leadership Takeover in ADC

Nafiu Bala, the Deputy National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), publicly denied any support for David Mark's leadership takeover, asserting he was deceived into attending the ceremony. Bala stated that he was invited under false pretenses to an event that was merely an adoption of new coalition members led by former chairman Ralph Nwosu.

He emphasized that he had no prior knowledge of the leadership transition and did not consent to it. Bala questioned why he did not raise an alarm or go to court immediately, noting that he consulted widely before taking action.

He described the developments as part of a deceptive maneuver within the party, which has been facing internal crises with three rival factions ahead of the 2027 general elections. The faction loyal to Mark has been accused of illegitimately hijacking the party's structure, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has stated it will not monitor the party's meetings until a federal high court resolves the leadership dispute.