A fresh twist has emerged in the leadership crisis rocking the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as factional leader Nafiu Bala has accused former national chairman Ralph Nwosu of misleading him into attending a key party event.

Bala, who spoke during an interview on AIT on Monday, said he was invited to what he believed was a simple gathering to receive new members into the party. However, he claimed he later realized that the event was actually organised to unveil a new leadership structure led by David Mark.

He explained that the situation became clear to him only after proceedings had already begun, adding that the event turned out to be more than what he was initially told. According to him, the occasion also coincided with Nwosu stepping down from his position while announcing a new set of party executives.

Bala said the development marked a major turning point in the internal disputes within the party. He noted that the announcement of David Mark and other leaders into top positions during the same event raised concerns among some members, including himself.

“I was told it was an adoption of new members, but Ralph Nwosu tricked me into attending the handover ceremony of the David Mark-led coalition into the ADC,” Bala said.

“That was the day Nwosu was announcing his resignation, on the same day he was announcing David Mark and Aregbesola as excos,” he stated.

The ADC has been dealing with internal disagreements for some time, with different groups laying claim to the party’s leadership. The emergence of a bloc led by David Mark has further divided members, with Bala and his supporters rejecting the arrangement.

Following the controversial event, Bala said he took steps to address the situation through internal party processes. He stated that about a week later, he called for a National Executive Council meeting and held consultations across the country before making any move.

After the consultations, Bala said he informed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of his position as deputy national chairman and declared that he had assumed office as acting national chairman of the party.

He also alleged that the crisis worsened after he discovered what he described as irregular actions, including the alleged use of his forged signature on documents linked to the resignation of former party executives. He said the documents were used to pave the way for a new leadership team.

Bala added that he responded by taking legal action against the group aligned with David Mark and also made the issue public through the media.