Rabiu Kwankwaso, former governor of Kano, has warned Nafiu Bala, a factional national chairman of the African Democratic Congress, that his actions could affect Nigeria’s democracy.
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Kwankwaso, who officially joined ADC from the New Nigeria Peoples Party on March 30, 2026, made the comments in an interview with DCL Hausa which circulated on Tuesday.
Since July 2025, when the opposition coalition assumed leadership of ADC, the party has been embroiled in internal disputes, with Bala and the David Mark-led faction both claiming the party’s leadership.
The conflict escalated into legal battles, prompting the Independent National Electoral Commission to derecognise both factions on April 1, citing the March 12 judgment of the Court of Appeal.
Amid the ongoing controversy, viral videos revealed Bala’s attendance at the ADC unveiling of the Mark-led leadership in July 2025.
In a statement on Tuesday, Bala acknowledged his presence but insisted there was no prior agreement to appoint the Mark-led leadership.
He accused Ralph Nwosu, ADC former national chairman, of imposing the Mark-led executives on party members without consultation with the National Working Committee.
Kwankwaso said he had invited Bala to meet with him personally in a bid to resolve the impasse amicably, but the factional chairman failed to show up.
“We had scheduled to meet yesterday, but despite waiting until morning, he did not show up. I had been warned he wouldn’t come, and his absence is truly disappointing,” Kwankwaso said.
“I want to share my message with you now so that if you meet him, you can deliver it on my behalf.”
The former governor expressed concern that Bala’s actions were undermining both the party and Nigerian democracy.
“In our current national situation, our party and our democracy do not need someone acting like ‘the lizard at the mouth of the water pot,'” Kwankwaso said.
“As a leader of this movement in Nigeria, I believed that when I invited him, he would honor the request so I could advise him as a father would a son.”
Kwankwaso noted that Bala, who was born in 1990, still needs guidance.
“Given that he was born in 1990, he is a youth who still needs guidance. His current actions are not only detrimental to his own future but also to the ADC and Nigerian democracy as a whole,” he stated.
He called on anyone who could reach Bala to offer him sound advice, stressing the need for the factional chairman to stop undermining the movement.
“He should recognise that millions of people have registered; a party that was once small has grown significantly because prominent leaders joined with a mission to do what is right for this country,” Kwankwaso stated.
“If he continues to stand in the way of that progress, it will become a very serious problem for him.”
Kwankwaso appealed to the Emir of Gombe, Bala’s parents, traditional leaders, Islamic scholars, and fellow politicians to intervene.
He noted that documents and photographic evidence exist proving Bala’s resignation and his participation in events hosted by the current leadership.
“This is a serious matter, and he must realize his mistakes so that we can resolve this. This advice is offered freely because I know it is for the benefit of everyone involved,” he added.
The former governor further noted that INEC had been present throughout the process, and that had Bala honoured his invitation, he would have shown him these proofs to help him understand that he is on the wrong path.
Kwankwaso’s intervention represents a significant attempt by one of the coalition’s heavyweight members to resolve the ADC crisis through dialogue rather than continued litigation.
The former Kano governor’s use of the Hausa proverb about “the lizard at the mouth of the water pot” — a reference to someone blocking progress for others — illustrates the frustration within the coalition at Bala’s role in the dispute.
The revelation that Bala failed to honour a scheduled meeting with Kwankwaso suggests that efforts at internal reconciliation may be failing, potentially prolonging the legal and political stalemate.
Kwankwaso’s appeal to traditional and religious leaders, including the Emir of Gombe, indicates an attempt to use social and cultural pressure to bring Bala to the negotiating table.
For the ADC coalition, which brought together prominent figures like Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, Nasir El-Rufai, and Kwankwaso himself with the aim of challenging President Tinubu in 2027, the continued impasse poses an existential threat.
With INEC refusing to recognise any faction and multiple court cases pending, the window for the party to organise itself ahead of the 2027 elections is rapidly closing.
Kwankwaso’s warning that Bala’s continued obstruction “will become a very serious problem for him” suggests that the coalition may be considering more forceful measures if dialogue continues to fail.
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