Court rejects the disputed Nafiu Bala ADC resignation letter, dealing a setback to David Mark’s leadership amid the party’s legal crisis
The Federal High Court in Abuja has rejected a purported resignation letter allegedly written by former African Democratic Congress (ADC) Deputy National Chairman, Nafiu Bala Gombe, ruling that the disputed document was not genuine evidence that he voluntarily relinquished his position.
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Justice Peter Lifu delivered the judgment on November 5, 2026, in a suit challenging the emergence of the leadership led by former Senate President David Mark.
Details of the ruling became public on Wednesday, November 11, after a Certified True Copy of the judgment was obtained.
In examining the disputed document, tendered as Exhibit ADC-1, Justice Lifu compared the signature on the letter with signatures on Bala’s witness statements on oath.
He found material differences and concluded that the document could not reliably establish that Bala had resigned.
The judge explained that the certification of a document does not automatically prove that a disputed signature is authentic.
According to him, certification may establish that a copy accurately reflects a document held by an authority, but it does not settle whether the person named in it actually signed it.
“I am not satisfied that Exhibit ADC-1 represents the genuine act of the plaintiff,” Justice Lifu held.
He consequently rejected the letter as reliable proof that Bala had voluntarily resigned as the ADC’s Deputy National Chairman.
The disputed letter was reportedly dated May 17, 2025. The David Mark-led faction had relied on it to argue that Bala relinquished his position before the party’s leadership transition and that his resignation was communicated to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Bala, however, repeatedly denied authoring the document. In April 2026, he publicly disowned the letter and disputed the signature attributed to him.
“I wish to state that this paper did not come from me, and that is not my signature on it. The signature you see there was forged,” he said, according to previous media reports.
The court’s decision is particularly significant because the resignation claim formed part of the argument surrounding who was entitled to assume leadership following the departure of former ADC National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu.
Bala had approached the court in September 2025, arguing that the process through which Mark and former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola emerged as national chairman and national secretary, respectively, violated the party’s constitution and relevant electoral laws.
The judge also found that the emergence of the Mark-led leadership at the party’s 99th National Executive Committee meeting on July 27, 2025, had not been shown to satisfy the mandatory requirement for democratic elections under Section 82(3) of the Electoral Act 2022.
Justice Lifu held that there was insufficient evidence that party members or duly elected delegates were given the opportunity to participate in an election and vote for candidates of their choice.
He further clarified that INEC’s receipt of notice of a party meeting and its monitoring of proceedings could not replace proof that a democratic election had actually taken place.
The judgment consequently invalidated the Mark-led caretaker committee and decisions taken under its authority, including the process that produced former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as the ADC’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.
The court also restrained INEC from recognising or dealing with the affected leadership as the party’s valid national officers.
The ruling has created further uncertainty for the ADC as it prepares for the 2027 elections.
Atiku’s nomination, which had been presented as the party’s presidential ticket, is among the decisions affected by the judgment.
However, the ruling remains subject to further legal proceedings. The ADC has rejected the decision and filed an appeal, alongside an application seeking a stay of execution.
In a letter to INEC, the party asked the commission to suspend further action on the matter pending the determination of the appeal.
The dispute also highlights the importance of internal party democracy and compliance with electoral laws in determining the legitimacy of political party leadership.
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For now, the court’s rejection of the disputed resignation letter removes an important piece of evidence relied upon by the Mark-led faction, while the wider leadership dispute and the legal status of the party’s 2027 candidates remain matters for the appellate process.
