‘My signature was forged’ — ADC factional chair Nafiu Bala disowns resignation letter
Nafiu Bala, factional national chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has denied reports that he resigned from his position as deputy national chairman, insisting that the alleged resignation letter is fake.
His reaction follows the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday regarding the party’s ongoing leadership crisis.
Speaking in a video published by Rariya Hausa, Bala dismissed the document circulating online which claims he resigned as national vice chairman on May 17, 2025.
“My name is Hon. Nafiu Bala, the ADC acting national chairman,” he said. “I want to address a document currently in circulation claiming that I resigned from my position on May 17. That document did not come from me, and the signature on it is not mine. It was forged.”
Bala explained that his emergence as acting national chairman followed the resignation of the party’s former leadership.
He said that on July 2, during an event where some individuals expressed interest in joining the ADC, the former chairman, Ralph Nwosu, announced that he, along with the party secretary and other leaders, was stepping down. According to Bala, Nwosu also stated that he and others would oversee the party’s affairs pending the national convention.
Based on this, Bala said he has resumed office in line with the party’s constitution.
“Following that development, I have resumed office as the ADC national chairman. Our constitution is clear. When the position of chairman becomes vacant, the deputy assumes leadership,” he said.
He added that any legitimate resignation from him would have been issued using his official letterhead.
“If I were to resign, I would do so on my official letterhead. Any document without it is not from me,” he said.
Bala noted that he had previously denied the same resignation claim on August 1, 2025, describing it as false, deceptive, malicious and fake.
Bala’s alleged resignation has become a key issue in the party’s leadership crisis.
David Mark, a former senate president involved in the dispute, maintains that Bala had indeed resigned. He said Bala stepped down on May 17, 2025, and that the resignation was formally submitted to INEC on August 12, 2025. He also claimed that despite resigning, Bala later approached the court on September 2, 2025, seeking recognition as the party’s chairman.
The dispute has led to legal battles between both camps, prompting INEC to withdraw recognition of the party’s leadership and remove the names of Mark’s executive team from its official portal.
On September 2, 2025, Bala filed a suit at the federal high court in Abuja seeking to stop Mark’s faction from presenting themselves as party leaders. He also asked the court to restrain INEC from recognising them and to affirm him as acting national chairman.
He further filed motions to halt party meetings, congresses and conventions pending the resolution of the case.
Following proceedings, the trial judge, Emeka Nwite, directed that all respondents, including INEC, be notified to justify why Bala’s requests should not be granted.
Dissatisfied with an interim ruling, Mark challenged the jurisdiction of the federal high court. However, on March 12, 2026, the court of appeal dismissed his case entirely, describing it as incompetent and lacking merit.