ADC Leadership Tussle Deepens as Bala Faction Uploads 2027 Candidates on INEC Portal

The leadership crisis within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) took a fresh turn on Sunday as the faction led by National Chairman, Nafiu Bala Gombe, announced that it had submitted the particulars of its presidential, vice-presidential and National Assembly candidates on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) nomination portal.

The development comes days after another faction of the party, led by former Senate President David Mark, also disclosed that it had uploaded the names of its own candidates for the 2027 general election, highlighting the deepening dispute over the party’s leadership and control.

In a statement, Nafiu said his faction had successfully completed the nomination process but did not disclose the identities of the candidates submitted to the electoral commission.

According to him, the exercise reflects the group’s determination to protect the interests of the party’s founding members and preserve its internal democratic principles.

“The African Democratic Congress (ADC), under my leadership, has successfully completed the upload of our Presidential, Vice-Presidential, and National Assembly candidates on the INEC portal for the 2027 General Elections,” he said.

He added that the move “demonstrates our Party’s firm commitment to safeguarding the interests of our founding and legacy members in the face of anti-democratic tendencies.”

Nafiu maintained that the faction remained committed to presenting credible candidates capable of providing purposeful leadership and good governance.

The latest announcement follows a similar declaration by the rival faction under David Mark, which had earlier stated that it had also uploaded the names of its presidential and other candidates to the INEC portal ahead of the 2027 elections.

Meanwhile, former Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, has urged politicians seeking to serve the public to align with the ADC, saying only those driven by conviction rather than personal ambition would have the courage to join the party.

Tambuwal made the remark while receiving the immediate past Chairman of Tangaza Local Government Area, Isa Salihu Kalenjeni, into the ADC after his resignation from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

“Anyone who believes that what he is doing is for the people and for the sake of God, not for personal gain, should have the courage to leave any political party and join the ADC,” Tambuwal said.

The parallel submissions by the rival ADC factions are expected to further complicate the party’s internal crisis as preparations intensify for the 2027 general election.