The leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is embroiled in a legal and internal crisis following the July 29, 2025 transition that installed Senator David Mark as National Chairman and Rauf Aregbesola as National Secretary. Nafiu Bala Gombe, the former Deputy National Chairman, has challenged the legitimacy of the new leadership, claiming he never resigned and should have ascended to National Chairman after Ralph Nwosu's National Working Committee (NWC) exited. Gombe dismissed a resignation letter cited by the Mark faction as forged and has filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja seeking recognition as substantive National Chairman.
Ralph Nwosu, former ADC National Chairman, stated that all NWC members, including Gombe, resigned voluntarily and accused external forces of influencing Gombe's actions. Former Senator Elisha Abbo revealed that Gombe had initially supported the transition but felt betrayed when he was not appointed National Vice Chairman (Northeast), a role given to Babachir Lawal. The Court of Appeal recently dismissed Mark's appeal and directed the Federal High Court to proceed with the case, instructing all parties to maintain the status quo ante bellum.
On April 1, 2026, INEC delisted the Mark-led NWC, citing compliance with the appellate court's directive. The ADC leadership has defied the move and plans to hold congresses starting in early April, culminating in a national convention on April 14, 2026, ahead of INEC's required primary elections between April 23 and May 30, 2026.
Bala Gombe's legal challenge exposes the fragility of internal party agreements within the ADC. His claim — backed by a court-ordered status quo — undermines the legitimacy of David Mark's leadership at a critical point in the electoral cycle. With INEC having removed the Mark-led NWC from its records, any convention held after April 1 risks being invalidated, potentially disqualifying the party from fielding candidates. For Nigerian voters, this signals yet another political party where personal ambition outweighs institutional stability.
