. Plateau Party Chair denies takeover
ADC presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Dumebi Kachikwu, has reacted to the takeover of the ADC by the emerging opposition coalition politicians.
In his second notable reaction within 24 hours of Wednesday’s unveiling of Senator David Mark as Interim National Chair of the party, Kachikwu hinted that the coalition defectors’ action will be challenged in court.
According to him, the takeover of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) leadership by the coalition of defectors is designed to give former Vice President Atiku Abubakar a platform to contest the 2027 presidential election.
On Wednesday, ADC national chairman Ralph Nwosu announced that he had resigned to pave the way for former Senate president David Mark.
Two others – former Interior Minister Rauf Aregbesola and former Sports Minister Bolaji Abdullahi – were also announced as national secretary and publicity secretary.
Kachikwu, at a news conference, alongside seven state chairmen from Benue, Niger, Nasarawa, Akwa Ibom, Borno, and Jigawa States, as well as erstwhile national spokesman, said: “Let them declare publicly that the next flag bearer will come from the South. If they do, I’ll welcome them through the front door.
“But we all know they won’t, because this is a coalition designed for Atiku, and that’s a betrayal of balance and equity.”
The former presidential candidate said he had previously engaged with the coalition advocates, including former ministers and senior political figures, but ended all talks when it became clear the arrangement was designed to return Atiku to power.
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“I asked a simple question: Do you agree that since Tinubu is in his first term, the South should produce the flag bearer in 2027?
“Their immediate response was, ‘We are taking our power back.’ That was a red flag.”
He rejected any arrangement that discounts Southern participation in future leadership, calling it a return to recycled leadership and ethnic-based politics.
“Imagine my situation, someone who came fifth in the last presidential race, and I’m told that because I’m from the South, I should foreclose my ambition. That was an absolute no-no,” he said.
He added that even if the coalition eventually agrees to present a southern candidate and formally approaches the ADC, the party would still conduct a primary election.
“Yes, the option of court is absolutely on the table. We are exploring all avenues, and we will not rest until this injustice is reversed,” he said.
According to Kachikwu, the first step is to demand that INEC clarify who currently occupies the position of party chairman.
If a leadership vacuum is confirmed, he said, the ADC state caucus, composed of elected chairmen, will convene a national convention to elect new officers and restore order to the embattled party.
“We’re asking INEC: Is there a chairman in this party, or is there a vacuum? If there is, then we need to convene a convention immediately to elect new leadership. That’s our pathway to resolving this crisis,” he said
Kachikwu stressed that the chairmen in his camp were elected at the party’s April 2022 convention, with valid mandates running until April 2026.
“They were not appointed on WhatsApp or Facebook. They were elected by the people,” he pointed out.
He faulted INEC for tolerating parallel structures within the party under former interim chairman Ralph O. Nwosu, accusing the electoral body of enabling confusion.
“For three years, INEC allowed Nwosu to appoint parallel chairmen. We’re now asking the same INEC to clarify who leads ADC. This time, they must act,” he said.
Kachikwu slammed the abrupt announcement of a new interim chairman by the rival faction, who allegedly received his ADC membership card during the very event where he was named leader.
“In a democratic society, how does it make sense that someone is made interim chairman and given his party card at the same event? That’s not a merger. That’s a hijack,” he stressed.
He decried the rise of what he called “toxic social media politics,” which he said is foreign to the ADC’s values.
Since rejecting the faction’s legitimacy, Kachikwu said he has been targeted with threats, online abuse, and even preemptive media attacks.
Kachikwu said on Wednesday that Nwosu was no longer the party chairman, having been sacked by a court in 2022.
He said his camp would petition INEC, explore legal redress through the courts, and rally the support of grassroots party members across Nigeria to resist the undemocratic hijack.
Plateau ADC chair, Dalung deny hijack
But, ADC Chairman in Plateau State, Mrs Hanatu Gagara, backed the coalition’s action, describing it as historic and an outcome of years of diligence, perseverance, commitment and hard work.
She said: “This party started about 20 years ago, and until recently, only one person, the former National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu, has been funding and taking care of the party.
“Our former national chairman and others have shown incredible dedication, and we all must continue in that spirit.
“It wasn’t easy for him at all, so seeing so many people coming in is something I’m genuinely happy about.”
Mrs Gagara chided Kachukwu for opposing the coalition, which she said was capable of transforming the nation’s political landscape.
Gagara said anyone opposed to the new development was simply anti-people and was averse to Nigeria’s democratic advancement.
“I listened to what he (Kachikwu) said, but I want to assure you that I am also a state chairman, and he was a candidate, not a current member.
“Since he became a candidate in 2022, I haven’t heard from him. I’ve been in the party for 17 years, so I’m not new here. Naturally, I know what is happening within the party.
“When the coalition came about 18 months ago, we were part of the negotiations and discussions.
“So, for anyone to claim that the state chairmen were not involved, it’s simply not true.
“We were involved right from the beginning, attending all the meetings and discussions. To say otherwise is misleading,” she explained.
Plateau ADC chairman emphasised that the main goal of the party was not just to grab power but to move the country forward.
According to her, the excruciating pains Nigerians were going through under the current administration spurred them into action.
“We felt that coming together as a united team would enable us to make a real difference.
“If power comes our way, we won’t reject it, but it’s not the primary goal.
“ADC stands for the Rule of Law, and that’s something we hold dear. Nigerians are law-abiding, and when a law is established, people generally follow it.
“When things go wrong, it’s because laws are not properly enforced. So, when new members come in, we will guide them on how to align with our ideology, and I believe they will follow our lead.
“Everyone will be treated equally. This is a party where we welcome anyone with like-minded ideology.
“For those that are on the fence, I say: give it time. When they see what is happening, they will believe and eventually join us. We are just starting, but in due time, they will see the progress,” she added.
Also, a former Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung, said due process was followed in the coalition’s adoption of ADC.
He said talks about a coalition had been on for about 18 months, with key stakeholders of the ADC carried along.
Dalung disagreed with Kachikwu, saying he must have lost touch with happenings in ADC.
“The chairman of the board of trustees of the party was in attendance.
“So, it wasn’t a hijack because the members of the party were there, and the coalition elements were there to witness the transition of leadership,” the former minister said.
“He (Kachikwu) might not know the developments that had taken place. He might not be in touch with the party, and so not quite informed about what has happened.
“But then he had expressed his feelings about what had transpired. The party will have to deal with it because the party is under new leadership.”
