How ADC Crisis Began – Sen. Ishaku Abbo

The internal crisis rocking the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and raising concerns about its stability has been traced to a disputed leadership arrangement following the emergence of a new National Working Committee (NWC), former Senator representing Adamawa North, Ishaku Abbo, has said.

Abbo, in a detailed account, alleged that the genesis of the crisis dates back to the resignation of the former Deputy National Chairman, Nafiu Bala, alongside members of the NWC, to pave the way for a new leadership led by former Senate President David Mark as National Chairman and former Osun State governor, Rauf Aregbesola, as National Secretary.

According to him, the transition was premised on an agreement between the old guard and incoming leadership to accommodate key stakeholders across geopolitical zones within the party structure.

Specifically, Abbo said it was agreed that Bala, from the North-East, would be appointed National Vice Chairman for the zone, a position considered lower than his previous role but acceptable under the negotiated arrangement.

However, tensions reportedly began when the newly constituted leadership allegedly reneged on the agreement during the formation of the new NWC, instead appointing former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, to the North-East vice chairmanship position.

The decision, Abbo claimed, was justified on grounds of seniority and political stature, a move said to have angered Bala, who was subsequently offered the position of Zonal Financial Secretary—an offer he reportedly rejected.

The former lawmaker further alleged that the development deepened divisions within the party, with aggrieved stakeholders beginning to mobilise legal and political opposition against the new leadership.

He said: “The agreement made with the legacy party was to cede certain positions to them from each geopolitical zone so that they can be part of the larger ADC.

“In the Northeast in particular, it was agreed that the position of the National Vice Chairman Northeast will be given to #NafiuBala a lesser position from his former position as Deputy National Chairman.

“After that agreement was signed and sealed and the new National Chairman and secretary took over, a leadership Caucus meeting was called to form a new National working Committee ( NWC).

“During the formation of the David Mark led NWC, the new leadership reneged on the earlier agreement to make #NafiuBala National Vice chairman Northeast and instead installed #BabachirDavidLawal in the position agreed upon by the Nwose led NWC during the negotiation.

“According to #BDLawal, how can Nafiu Bala, a small boy become a National Vice chairman in a zone that has the former Vice President and former SGF? Nafiu Bala was offered a Zonal financial secretary which he rejected. At this point he started plotting how to bring down the whole roof down.

Abbo also claimed that some political actors, including a serving governor and a former minister, backed moves to challenge the party leadership in court, while accusing unnamed government officials of influencing regulatory pressures on the party.

I refrained from mentioning names but one day those names will be captured in one chapter of my book, my Autobiography.

“For the records, the Current, serving Vice President of Nigeria is from the Northeast, Borno state, the NSA from Adamawa state and many other powerful ministers are from Northeast, yet the APC made a youth was the National Vice Chairman North East. But in my party the ADC, we are deemed as small boys unfit to lead as par the theory of BD Lawal. Nafiu Bala felt belittled and insulted by BD Lawal and he has now belittled all of us.

“I call on Nafiu Bala to go to court and withdraw this case and be part of history for good since he has prove his point”, he said.