Abuja Stadium Empty as Nafiu Bala Faction Fails to Hold ADC Convention

The planned national convention of the Nafiu Bala-led faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) failed to take place on Tuesday, as the designated venue in Abuja remained completely deserted.

Despite prior publicity, there were no signs of delegates, party officials, or logistical preparations at the National Stadium, raising fresh concerns over the deepening leadership crisis within the party.

The aborted convention was scheduled for April 21, 2026, and was widely seen as a counter move by Nafiu Bala against a rival faction led by former Senate President David Mark, which had earlier conducted its own convention on April 14.

Bala has consistently rejected the legitimacy of the Mark-led convention, describing it as a violation of a March 12, 2026 ruling by the Court of Appeal. He also questioned the process, pointing to the absence of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as evidence that the exercise lacked official recognition.

The Bala faction has further accused the opposing camp of unconstitutional actions, including alleged forgery of documents bearing Bala’s signature to justify a leadership takeover.

Maintaining that his faction remains the legitimate leadership of the party, Bala insists that any restructuring effort outside due process is invalid.

Meanwhile, the legal dispute over the party’s leadership continues before Emeka Nwite, following INEC’s refusal to recognize Bala as acting national chairman.

As of Tuesday afternoon, no official explanation had been provided for the failure to hold the convention, leaving uncertainty over the next steps for Bala’s faction and the future of the party’s leadership.