ADC Crisis: Abbo Alleges Internal Betrayal, External Interference Behind Court Dispute

Fresh claims have emerged over the deepening crisis rocking the African Democratic Congress (ADC), as former lawmaker Ishaku Abbo accused key political actors of fueling the turmoil through internal breaches and external interference.
In a statement dated April 4, Abbo traced the origin of the crisis to what he described as a breakdown of agreements reached during the party’s leadership transition, which saw Nafiu Bala and members of the National Working Committee (NWC) step down to pave the way for a new leadership under David Mark.
According to Abbo, part of the arrangement was to redistribute key party positions across geopolitical zones to accommodate legacy members. He claimed that in the North-East, it was agreed that Nafiu Bala would assume the position of National Vice Chairman—albeit a step down from his previous role as Deputy National Chairman.
However, he alleged that the agreement was later breached during the constitution of the new NWC, with the position instead given to Babachir David Lawal. This, he said, triggered discontent and set the stage for the ongoing legal battle.
“At this point, he started plotting how to bring the whole roof down,” Abbo alleged, referring to Bala’s reaction after rejecting alternative offers within the party structure.
The former senator further claimed that powerful external forces were instrumental in escalating the crisis, alleging that a serving governor from the South-East and a minister from the South-South were behind the initiation of the court case. He also accused unnamed political actors of influencing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to take actions against the party.
Abbo warned that such interference could undermine Nigeria’s democratic system, while calling on INEC to reverse what he described as a politically motivated stance.
He also urged Nafiu Bala to withdraw the suit in the interest of party unity, noting that continued litigation could further weaken the opposition platform.
“I call on Nafiu Bala to go to court and withdraw this case and be part of history for good since he has proved his point,” he said.
Abbo maintained that he would continue to speak out on the matter, promising further revelations as the crisis within the ADC unfolds.