Reactions as Nafiu Bala Responds to English Questions in Hausa

Nafi’u Bala, factional National Chairman of the African Democratic Party (ADC), has come under criticism for responding to some English questions in Hausa during a recent interview on Africa Independent Television (AIT). Bala has been in the news for weeks after publicly declaring himself the legitimate Chairman of the ADC, a platform adopted by opposition […]

Nafi’u Bala, factional National Chairman of the African Democratic Party (ADC), has come under criticism for responding to some English questions in Hausa during a recent interview on Africa Independent Television (AIT).

Bala has been in the news for weeks after publicly declaring himself the legitimate Chairman of the ADC, a platform adopted by opposition figures seeking to wrest power from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Daily Trust had reported how the ADC plunged into crisis after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) de-recognised the David Mark-led leadership.

Bala filed a suit at the Federal High Court in September 2025, seeking to stop Mark’s group from acting as party leaders.

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Although the Mark leadership filed an appeal, the Court of Appeal dismissed it on March 12, 2026.

Citing the ongoing litigation, INEC said it would maintain the status quo ante bellum.

Amid the crisis, Bala was accused of being used by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to derail the ADC’s coalition project and support Tinubu’s re-election, an allegation he has consistently denied.

The David Mark-led ADC later held its convention and expelled Bala, alongside other members.

Bala, however, described the convention as a nullity and an affront to the Court of Appeal judgement.

Since the onset of the crisis within the ADC, Bala has faced criticism for not expressing himself fluently in the English language during public appearances.

Many Nigerians, particularly on social media, have mocked his pronunciation and command of the language.

In his recent interview on AIT, Bala, seated opposite the interviewer, was seen mixing English and Hausa while responding to some questions.

Asked why he did not raise an alarm despite being present at the meeting where the pioneer National Chairman and founder of the ADC, Ralph Nwosu, handed over the party’s leadership to David Mark, Bala responded in Hausa, saying he was misled into attending the ceremony, believing it was for the official adoption of the party as a platform for the coalition movement.

“A week later, I convened a meeting with members of the National Working Committee (NWC) and the National Executive Committee (NEC) to deliberate on the next course of action.

“I wrote a letter to INEC, informing it that I am the legitimate Deputy National Chairman of the ADC and that I have assumed office as Acting National Chairman.

“INEC declined to recognise my claim, insisting that there must be two signatories, the Chairman and the Secretary. I consulted widely before proceeding to court in August.

“It is time to retire older politicians and bring in fresh energy and ideas.

“Atiku, Kwankwaso, Amaechi, David Mark should retire and bring in their children.

“Our eyes are now open; we must retire them from politics. They destroyed the PDP, went on to form the APC, then abandoned it and returned to the PDP. They have destroyed Nigeria. We must reclaim this country. I have said that anyone above 55 will not contest in the ADC.”

Meanwhile, reactions have trailed the interview on Facebook and X.

A US-based Nigerian academic, Professor Farooq Kperogi, wrote: “I just watched yet another interview Nafiu Bala Gombe granted to AIT Online. The questions came in English, but the answers came in a Hausa-English hybrid, mostly Hausa, with English subtitles doing the heavy lifting. I wonder why he didn’t just commit fully to Hausa and spare us the dizzying linguistic zigzag. This young man seems to have an insatiable gluttony for self-humiliation. My previous advice that he needs basic education more urgently than he needs party chairmanship or even a career in politics still stands.”

Sule Ya’u Tariwa: “The young man just likes to disgrace himself and the generation he emerges from. Nothing else!”

Mamman Baro: “What if it’s Rufai or Mahdi shehu interview Nafiu Gombe, will he use hausa – English hybrid?”

Yakubu Ahmad Yaya: “He applied code-switching, which is a right and acceptable practice in journalism, as the primary objective is to inform people and it served that purpose.”

Japheth Gapsiso: “Hahaha, the constant back-and-forth between Hausa and English in a formal interview is more or less an absurdist theatre. Understanding him is laced with confusion. It kills whatever message he’s trying to pass across. Naija!!!”

Amb Nafada: “He was there and he wrote the letter but because the handover was done in English, he did not understand what they were doing. He got home and they explained it to him in Hausa , that was when he raised an alarm.”

Yahaya Kana Ismaila: “I have seen some people referring to Nafiu’s unique gibberish as Enghausa. That’s not true. See, Enghausa is patterned and sophisticated. What Nafiu uses can best be described as ‘some sort of a hybrid’ language. It’s neither code mixing nor switching!”

Abiodun Ojedeji: “AIT don break record. I’m seeing interview of this kind for the very first time. See person wanting to be the national chairman of a political party.”

On X, Sarkin Mota, tweeting under @SarkinMota_AMF, wrote: “It’s a shame that the self-acclaimed National chairman of what is now Nigeria’s no 1 opposition party cannot even speak fluent English. Mind you I’m none partisan so this is my views as an ordinary citizen. Let me also translate to Hausa so he ‘the self-acclaimed national chairman can understand…”

Justice @aarondikko: “National chairman who cannot clearly communicate his thoughts in simple sentences; instead of going back to school, he is struggling to be a party chairman.”

However, some users defended Bala’s use of Hausa, saying there was nothing wrong with responding in the language during an English interview.

Ubaidullah Yahaya kaura @Ubaidullahkaura, wrote: “What is so special about speaking English fluently when those who are able to speak English well couldn’t afford to build a political party but are desperate to seize political power illegally? Nafiu is speaking right by standing up for and defending his political freedom; whether he can speak fluently or not, the court and INEC understand him well, while those claiming to speak English fluently are out there on the street ranting for nothing. Before you condemn Nafiu’s English, go and advise the party monsters to build their own party…”

Kanoblog @thekanoblog: “I don’t understand why people are concerned with the language Nafiu Bala speaks. In my opinion, everyone should speak the language they are comfortable with, and there is no reason to insist that someone should learn other people’s languages. This is one of the things we have been striving for as secondary school students; we want the Kano government to remove the requirement imposed on our teachers that they must teach us in English.”

Anita @hhotplate: “For those that are saying he can’t speak English, Election anywhere in the world is a mere popularity contest, if the majority wants a retard, imbecile, disabled or an uneducated person to lead them, the majority will have their way. We’ve seen countries elect comedian and actor.”