ADC Leadership Crisis Deepens as Abuja Convention Collapses, Rival Factions Trade Claims

A planned national convention of a faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has collapsed in Abuja, intensifying an already bitter leadership struggle that has split the party into rival camps.

The event, scheduled to hold at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium on April 21, 2026, failed to take off as the venue was left deserted, with no delegates, officials, or party activities recorded throughout the day.

What was expected to be a major political gathering instead ended in silence, with key sections of the facility locked and unused, raising fresh questions about the strength and legitimacy of the organising faction.

The convention was organised by a group aligned with Nafiu Bala, one of the rival claimants to the party’s national leadership. However, the absence of participants effectively rendered the exercise inconclusive before it could begin.

The development comes amid a parallel leadership tussle within the ADC, where another faction linked to former Senate President David Mark had already conducted a separate convention days earlier.

Both camps are now insisting they represent the authentic leadership of the party, further widening divisions that have gripped the opposition platform.

The crisis has already moved into the courts, with the Federal High Court currently hearing competing claims over who holds legitimate control of the party’s structure.

Adding to the uncertainty, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declined to recognise the Bala-led faction, a move that has further complicated the internal dispute.

With rival conventions, legal battles, and conflicting claims to authority, the ADC is now facing one of its most severe internal crises since its formation.

Political observers say the failed Abuja convention highlights the depth of the division, where organisational control and legitimacy remain unresolved despite multiple attempts at reconciliation.