ADC Crisis: Faction Petitions U.S. Embassy for Intervention

A fresh leadership dispute has emerged within the African Democratic Congress (ADC), with a faction of the party formally petitioning the United States Embassy in Abuja over what it describes as an attempt to unlawfully seize control of the party.

The group, led by Nafiu Bala Gombe, is urging U.S. authorities to consider sanctions—including visa restrictions—against individuals allegedly involved in bypassing the party’s constitutional processes.

In the petition, Gombe identifies himself as the legitimate national chairman of the ADC and accuses unnamed actors of violating party rules following the resignation of former chairman Ralph Okey Nwosu and other members of the National Working Committee (NWC).

According to Gombe, the ADC constitution provides that the deputy national chairman should assume leadership in the event of a vacancy. He argues that, as the only remaining deputy national chairman who did not resign, he is constitutionally mandated to take over the party’s affairs.

He further alleged that external political interests are interfering in the party’s internal structure, attempting to install leadership outside established procedures. The faction claims it has taken legal steps to challenge the situation but accuses its opponents of spreading misinformation.

The petition also addresses claims linking the dispute to Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), dismissing any such connections as false.

Gombe called on the United States to monitor what he described as “anti-democratic practices” within the party and to take action if constitutional order is undermined. He argued that potential sanctions would signal international disapproval of efforts to erode internal democracy and due process.