A Federal High Court in Abuja has declared fictitious a resignation letter allegedly signed by Nafiu Bala, a former deputy national chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), in a ruling that has further deepened the party’s leadership crisis.
The court ruled that the purported letter, which the ADC relied upon to argue that Mr Bala had voluntarily resigned from his position, was not genuine.
In a judgment delivered on 5 November 2026, Justice Peter Lifu declared the David Mark-led caretaker committee of the party illegal and invalidated all decisions taken by the committee.
The ruling also affected the nomination of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as the ADC’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.
The court’s decision represents a significant setback for the party, which has been grappling with an internal leadership dispute ahead of the next general election.
The disputed resignation letter had been central to the ADC’s position that Mr Bala had relinquished his role, paving the way for the emergence of the caretaker leadership.
However, the court’s declaration that the document was fictitious has raised fresh questions about the legitimacy of the party’s leadership arrangements and the decisions taken under the caretaker committee.
The judgment is also likely to intensify uncertainty surrounding the ADC’s political preparations and Atiku’s anticipated presidential bid in 2027.
The latest development comes amid growing political tensions within the opposition party, with the leadership dispute threatening to complicate its efforts to position itself as a major contender in the forthcoming general election.
