After months away from the public spotlight, Nafiu Bala Gombe, who has been laying claim to the national chairmanship of a faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has resurfaced with a fresh challenge to the party’s widely reported 2027 presidential ticket.
In a recent interview with DCL Hausa, Bala Gombe reportedly rejected former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the legitimate presidential candidate of the ADC, insisting that his faction has a different candidate for the 2027 election.
The development adds another chapter to the prolonged leadership crisis within the ADC, which has seen different factions make competing claims over the party’s leadership and presidential ticket.
The Bala Gombe-led faction has previously declared Professor Chris Uba as its presidential candidate. In July 2026, the faction publicly stated that Atiku Abubakar was not its presidential candidate and maintained that Uba had emerged through its own internal nomination process. (The Guardian Nigeria)
The faction had earlier presented Uba as its consensus presidential candidate after other aspirants withdrew from the contest. Reports said Bala Gombe described the process as being conducted under the consensus provisions of the Electoral Act. (Sahara Reporters)
However, the position of the Bala Gombe faction conflicts with the position of the ADC leadership recognised in connection with the opposition coalition. Atiku Abubakar emerged from the ADC presidential primary held in May 2026, while Rotimi Amaechi was subsequently selected as his running mate. (Premium Times Nigeria)
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has also previously weighed in on the dispute. In July, INEC said it had provided nomination-portal login details to the faction led by former Senate President David Mark and identified Atiku Abubakar and Rotimi Amaechi as the presidential and vice-presidential candidates presented by that faction. (Premium Times Nigeria)
This means the dispute is not simply about who supports Atiku or Uba. It reflects a deeper legal and organisational battle over which faction has the authority to speak for the ADC and submit candidates for the 2027 election.
Bala Gombe’s latest comments therefore revive questions about the status of the rival factions and the competing claims to the ADC’s presidential ticket.
While his faction insists that Professor Chris Uba is its presidential flag bearer, Atiku remains widely reported as the presidential candidate of the ADC faction led by David Mark and backed by the opposition coalition. (The Guardian Nigeria)
The competing claims are likely to keep the ADC leadership dispute in the spotlight as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections.
For now, the central issue remains unresolved in the public arena: whether the ADC will ultimately proceed into the 2027 election with Atiku Abubakar, Professor Chris Uba, or whether the ongoing factional and legal disputes will determine the party’s final position.
link https://x.com/KafinHausaa/status/2092004619551440927?s=20
