The national convention of the Nafiu Bala-led faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which was heavily publicized to take place in Abuja, was conspicuously deserted on Tuesday.
There was no sign of delegates, party officials, or any physical preparation for the event at the scheduled venue.
Reporting from the National Stadium in Abuja, a correspondent for TV Platinum—in a live Facebook broadcast—confirmed that the facility remained empty at the time the proceedings were supposed to begin. “Now as you can see, the venue is empty. There is nobody here. No preparation ongoing. No delegate, no party members. The whole place is empty. Everywhere is empty. The velodrome is locked,” the reporter stated.
This failed gathering follows a deepening leadership crisis within the ADC. Bala’s faction had scheduled its convention for April 21, 2026, as a direct challenge to a rival faction led by former Senate President David Mark, who held a separate convention on April 14.
Bala has consistently dismissed the David Mark-led convention as “a nullity” and a violation of a March 12, 2026, Court of Appeal ruling.
He previously asserted that:“The noticeable absence of the Independent National Electoral Commission from the convention strongly indicates that the process lacks official recognition and cannot stand judicial scrutiny as to its legitimacy.”
Bala’s camp continues to argue that the Mark-led coalition is unconstitutional, even alleging the “forgery of documents” bearing Bala’s signature to facilitate a leadership takeover.
He maintains that his faction is the only legitimate authority and that the opposing group’s attempt to restructure the party was done without due process.
The legal battle remains active before Justice Emeka Nwite, following INEC’s refusal to recognize Bala as the acting national chairman.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Bala’s faction has offered no official explanation for the total absence of activity at the National Stadium, leaving the future of the faction’s leadership in significant doubt.
See video below:
