The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday mocked the African Democratic Congress (ADC) over its leadership crisis, saying the opposition party lacked the capacity to manage itself, let alone challenge the APC ahead of 2027.
The drama erupted after Nafiu Bala, the ADC’s former Deputy National Chairman, declared himself the party’s new national chairman.
Addressing journalists in Abuja, Bala asserted that he had taken office as the “authentic” chairman, claiming that the Electoral Act and ADC’s constitution made him the lawful successor to Ralph Nwosu, who resigned after the opposition coalition accepted the party a few months back.
Following Nwosu’s resignation, former Senate President David Mark was named interim chairman, but Bala rejected the arrangement, accusing coalition leaders, especially former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, of hijacking the ADC.
“As far as our party is concerned, the constitution is clear. Once the national chairman resigns, the deputy chairman takes over. I have therefore resumed as the authentic national chairman of the ADC,” Bala declared.
However, in a swift response, ADC’s National Spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi, dismissed Bala as a “charlatan” seeking attention.
“Anybody can call a press conference and claim to be chairman. This same person made similar claims some weeks ago. Did he go to court? Did he report to the police? Which secretariat did he even take over? The ADC doesn’t even have a secretariat. There is nothing to respond to,” Abdullahi fumed.
He accused the media of promoting “baseless claims” and reiterated that the party would not respond to Bala’s remark.
In response to the ADC controversy, Bala Ibrahim, the APC’s Director of Publicity, derided the ADC’s internal bickering as evidence of weakness.
“The opposition is supposed to manage its affairs responsibly. If the ADC does not know how to play opposition politics or unite its members, it can come and learn from the APC. We have the Progressive Institute, a place where people can actually learn politics,” Ibrahim stated.
He refuted APC involvement in the opposition crisis, saying the ruling party was focused on delivering President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, not destabilising the opposition.
“The APC cannot condescend to the level of creating problems for an opposition party that is daily losing grip on political activities. In the recent by-elections, out of 16 contested seats, APC won 13. The ADC could not win even one. Clearly, it is not a force to reckon with,” he said.
