Nafiu Bala Gombe, a factional leader of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has responded strongly to criticism from former Kano State governor Rabiu Kwankwaso over the party’s ongoing leadership crisis.
The ADC, which has recently become a platform for opposition figures strategizing ahead of the 2027 general elections, has been embroiled in a deepening internal dispute. The crisis has seen rival factions, including one aligned with former Senate President David Mark, laying claim to the party’s leadership.
Kwankwaso, who recently joined the party, had expressed frustration after Bala allegedly failed to attend a scheduled meeting aimed at resolving the dispute. Speaking in an interview with DCL Hausa, the former governor criticized Bala’s absence and described him as a 35-year-old who missed an opportunity for “fatherly advice.”
In a swift reaction, Bala dismissed the age claim as inaccurate, insisting he is 46 years old. He also accused Kwankwaso of behaving like a mole for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and warned him against interfering in the ADC’s internal affairs.
Bala argued that older politicians should step back and allow younger leaders to take charge of party leadership and national politics while serving in advisory roles.
“Even if I were young, Kwankwaso has no right to look down on me,” Bala said, noting that many of today’s political leaders assumed major responsibilities at a young age.
He further urged senior political figures to create space for the next generation, stressing that youths should be given the opportunity to steer the affairs of both political parties and the country.
Bala also recalled events from the 2023 elections, stating that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and other northern leaders had once urged Kwankwaso to step down in the interest of regional unity, but he declined.
“Having refused to step down then, he has no moral justification to bully or advise me on the injustice being done to me by impostors in the ADC. Nobody can bully me,” Bala declared.
