- ADC accused INEC of taking sides in its leadership dispute
- Bolaji Abdullahi said Nafiu Bala lacked legal standing
- Party alleged INEC violated a Court of Appeal directive
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of violating the law and taking sides in its ongoing leadership dispute.
The allegation was made on Thursday by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, during an appearance on Arise Television’s Morning Show.
Abdullahi argued that a former party official, Nafiu Bala Gombe, no longer has the legal standing to act on behalf of the ADC. According to him, Bala’s tenure ended following his resignation and the subsequent dissolution of the executive committee to which he belonged.
He explained that the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), which is the highest decision-making body after the national convention, had already taken binding decisions regarding the party’s leadership structure.
“As at July 17, he was no longer an official of the party, and INEC knew this,” Abdullahi stated, insisting that Bala lacks the legal authority, or locus, to act in any official capacity.
The ADC spokesman questioned why INEC would continue to recognise actions linked to Bala despite being aware of his resignation, alleging that such conduct suggests bias in the handling of the party’s internal crisis.
“So on what basis is INEC recognising Bala’s action? Recognising Nafiu Bala’s action means that INEC is taking a side,” he said.
Abdullahi further accused the electoral body of disregarding a subsisting directive of the Court of Appeal to maintain the status quo, describing INEC’s actions as contemptuous of the court.
“What INEC has done effectively is to violate the directive of the appeal court,” he added, using strong language to criticise the commission’s conduct.
The controversy follows INEC’s recent decision to remove the names of David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola as National Chairman and National Secretary of the ADC from its official portal.
INEC also announced that it would not recognise Bala, who is seeking to be declared national chairman through legal proceedings, and that it would suspend recognition of all factions within the party pending the outcome of a substantive suit before a Federal High Court.
The development has intensified the leadership crisis within the ADC, raising broader concerns about the role of electoral bodies in managing internal party disputes and the implications for Nigeria’s democratic process as the 2027 general elections approach.