***’How party betrayed Bala Gombe’
Governor Yusuf Says There’s no match for APC in Kano
There appears to be no end in sight to the protracted crisis that has polarised the African Democratic Congress (ADC), DECENCY GLOBAL NEWS reports.
Party members were enveloped in anxiety at the weekend due to lack of clue about any truce among the warring leaders who are warming up for the resumption of court hearing on the leadership dispute.
A chieftain, Senator Ishaku Abbo, who shed light on why the crisis had persisted, said the party betrayed the Deputy National Chairman (North), Nafiu Bala Gombe.
Chiding the party leaders for breaking the agreement, he said some chieftains compounded the confusion through inflammatory remarks that heightened the tensions.
Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf predicted failure for the party in the state, saying that the platform will lose its deposit on poll day.
Governor Yusuf’s erstwhile godfather Senator Rabiu Musa Kwakwanso last month defected to the ADC.
Also, the APC governorship candidate in 2023 Nasir Gawuna also defected to the ADC in what has been projected as battle royal in 2027 with Governor Yusuf.
As the ADC crisis intensifies, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) urged Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed to consider joining the fold instead of defecting to the ADC.
ADC betrayed Gombe, says Abbo
Abbo attributed the dispute to a “defaulted deal” and “demeaning declarations” allegedly linked to former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir David Lawal, who is a chieftain of the party.
He said the dispute originated from an agreement between the party’s legacy leadership and emerging blocs on the sharing of positions across geo-political zones.
Abbo said: “The agreement made with the legacy party was to cede certain positions to them from each geo-political zone.”
He added that, under the arrangement, the position of National Vice Chairman for the Northeast was to be allocated to Nafiu Gombe, a former Deputy National Chairman.
Abbo alleged that the agreement was not honoured by the new leadership.
He stressed: “However, the David Mark leadership reneged on the arrangement, and instead, installed Babachir David Lawal as the National Vice chairman, Northeast.”
He also claimed that certain remarks attributed to Lawal aggravated the situation.
Abbo alleged that Lawal “arrogantly, and seeming self-servingly argued that Nafiu Bala, is a small boy to be given a National Vice chairman in a zone that has the former Vice President and former SGF.”
He said Bala rejected an alternative position offered to him, describing the move as disrespect.
Abbo said: “In a rather radical response, Nafiu Bala rejected the lesser position offered; felt belittled and insulted by BD Lawal, and therefore, went ahead with the plot to bring down the whole ADC roof.”
Abbo maintained that the fallout from the disagreement has widened the internal divisions and robbed the platform its stability.
He also alleged that the crisis had attracted external interests, stressing that some political actors were backing efforts that could further destabilise the party.
Abbo warned that failure to address the underlying issues, including respect for agreements and internal dialogue, could deepen the crisis.
He called for reconciliation, stressing the need for adherence to prior commitments and collective efforts to stabilise its structure.
Last week, INEC withdrew recognition for the David Mark-led National Working Committee (NWC) of the ADC in compliance with the Court of Appeal judgment in the Appeal by the NWC in respect of the ongoing case before the Federal High Court in Abuja filled by Nafiu Gombe.
The court ordered a return to the status quo ante bellum by the party leadership, dismissed the appeal and ordered the Federal High Court to give the case accelerated hearing.
The David Mark leadership said they rejected the INEC action and accused the electoral agency of bias. It vowed to go ahead with its plans without INEC’s monitoring.
Party dead on arrival in Kano, says governor
Governor Yusuf said ADC is ‘dead on arrival’ in Kano, adding that the party is not a factor in the state.
The governor addressed his supporters who came to welcome him from Abuja where he attended key political meetings.
Yusuf said in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mustapha Muhammad, that apart from being weakened by crisis, ADC lacks grassroots support in the state.
He said: “Kano remains firmly under the control of the ruling political structure of the All Progressives Congress (APC), backed by the overwhelming support of the people.”
Exuding confidence, the governor urged his supporters to remain united and committed to the ruling party.
The governor also reaffirmed his administration’s dedication to delivering on its promises, with governance and development as top priorities.
He said: “We will rally solid support for President Bola Ahmad Tinubu and I am very optimistic that APC will, In sha Allah, win all the elective positions in 2027.”
NDC to Bala: come and join us
The NDC has invited Bala Mohammed to join its ranks, assuring him of a platform devoid of internal crises and litigation.
Bauch State NDC Chairman Abdullahi Maigari Misau, described the party as a credible and peaceful platform for politicians seeking a fresh start ahead of future elections.
He said the NDC is known for unity and the absence of factional disputes, making it an attractive option for aspirants.
Maigari added: “Our party has no leadership tussles or court cases. We guarantee fairness, transparency, and a level playing field for all members.”
He said the party is open to all politicians, including the governor and his loyalists.
Maigari stressed: “If you are confident in your popularity and support base, the NDC provides an opportunity to contest without fear of internal crisis or legal battles.”
He explained that the NDC has introduced a digital registration portal to encourage participation, alongside manual registration for those without access to online platforms.
