Senator Ishaku Abbo, who represents Adamawa North, has pointed to internal conflicts, a breach of agreements, and suspected outside interference as the root causes of the leadership challenges plaguing the African Democratic Congress (ADC). The situation intensified after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared that it would cease recognising factions led by David Mark and Nafiu Bala, a decision influenced by a Court of Appeal ruling and existing legal disputes.
In a statement posted on his Facebook page, Senator Abbo explained that the internal strife began after Mr. Bala and other members of the party’s national working committee stepped down to facilitate the establishment of a new leadership. "If you observe the image below, Nafiu Bala is the gentleman seated in front of me. He was present at the Yar’Adua Centre, applauding as David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola assumed the roles of national chairman and secretary, respectively," Abbo stated.
According to Abbo, a prior agreement was reached to distribute party positions among different geopolitical zones to ensure the inclusion of individuals from the existing party structure. "The commitment made to the legacy party involved assigning specific roles to them across each geopolitical zone to ensure their participation within the broader ADC," he elaborated.
He further alleged that Mr. Bala, who had reportedly been promised the position of national vice-chairman for the North-East, did not have this agreement upheld. "During the formation of the David Mark-led National Working Committee, the newly installed leadership disregarded the initial understanding to appoint Bala as national vice-chairman for the North-East. Instead, Babachir David Lawal was placed in that position," Abbo claimed.
Senator Abbo added that Mr. Bala declined an alternative position that was offered to him, suggesting this was the catalyst for his subsequent actions. "At this juncture, he began devising strategies to destabilize the entire structure," Abbo alleged. He also implicated unnamed political figures, including a serving governor and a former minister, in supporting legal challenges filed against the party.
The senator urged Mr. Bala to withdraw the ongoing court case and to engage in efforts towards fostering unity within the party. He also appealed to INEC to re-evaluate its stance on the matter. Senator Abbo cautioned that the current predicament could lead to wider repercussions if not promptly addressed and resolved.
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