A factional leader of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Nafiu Bala, has accused the party’s former national chairman, Ralph Nwosu, of misleading him into attending the event that marked the emergence of the rival David-Mark’s leadership.
Speaking during an interview on AIT on Monday, Bala said he was invited under the impression that the gathering was meant to adopt new members, but later discovered it was the formal unveiling of a David Mark-led coalition structure within the party.
“I was told it was an adoption of new members, but Ralph Nwosu tricked me into attending the handover ceremony of the David Mark-led coalition into the ADC,” Bala said.
He further explained that the event marked a significant turning point in the party’s internal crisis, alleging that it was at the same gathering that Nwosu announced his resignation and unveiled a new leadership structure.
“That was the day Nwosu was announcing his resignation, on the same day he was announcing David Mark and Aregbesola as excos,” he stated.
The development is a new dimension to series of disputes that have fractured the ADC into multiple factions, with rival groups laying claim to the party’s national leadership. At the centre of the current tussle is the emergence of a bloc led by David Mark, which Bala and his supporters have strongly opposed.
Bala maintained that his actions following the disputed handover event were guided by due process and internal consultations within the party.
“One week after, I consulted a meeting of the National Executive Council, a nationwide consultation before taking any action. After consultation, I wrote to INEC that I am the deputy national chairman and the chairman national working committee; I resumed office as the acting national chairman of the party,” he said.
According to him, the crisis escalated after he discovered alleged irregularities, including the forgery of his signature in documents linked to the mass resignation of former executives to pave way for Mark an new NWC membes under him.
“When I found out that my signature was forged, I immediately filed a suit against the David Mark-led group and also briefed Nigerians through the media,” Bala added.