Some state chairmen of the African Democratic Congress are not happy about the ex-chairman Ralph Nwosu’s announcement that the party’s structures would all be dismantled in order to allow a new leadership to forge a coalition of forces in advance of the general election in 2027.
A coalition powered by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar announced the adoption of ADC as the platform aimed at thwarting the second term bid of President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
It subsequently named former Senate President, David Mark and ex-Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, as the Interim National Chairman and National Secretary respectively while Bolaji Abdullahi, an ex-Minister of Sports, was named the interim National Publicity Secretary.
Nwosu further issued a statement announcing the resignation of all party leadership positions to enable the David Mark-led interim executive take charge of the affairs of the ADC.
The development elicited sharp criticisms from Dumebi Kachikwu, the ADC 2023 presidential candidate who described Atiku and his co-ADC converts as “a bunch of greedy old men.”
In an interview with The PUNCH, ADC chieftain in Benue State, Elias Adikwu, lamented the manner the new leadership of the party emerged as unacceptable.
He said, “We are not part of it and we will not take it. They cannot come to a party they did not register to join and take it over from those who built it. If they are so much in love with the leadership of the party, there is a procedure: get all stakeholders involved so that everyone will make their position known.”
Adikwu faulted the collapse of state structures of the party for the new leadership, noting that the Mark-led exco is embarking on a registration exercise that leaves more questions than answers.
“Why are they asking people to come and register? What happened to the party register at the ward and local government levels? They called themselves interim executives, but the ADC Constitution has no provision for an interim arrangement. We are prepared to meet with them because as it is now, we (State Party Chairmen) are the only National Executive Committee members of the party.”
Also Speaking, the ADC chairman in Akwa Ibom State, Etimbuk Umoh, said they were waiting for directive from his its national leader on the next step to take.
“Our leader, Dumebi Kachikwu is yet to set an action plan for that (what to do next). We are waiting for him,” he said.
His Borno counterpart, Mohammed Khala, did not reveal much when he spoke in a telephone conversation with our correspondent on the development.
“We are keeping our plans close to our chest,” he said.
On his part, the National Publicity Secretary ADC Continental Youth Council, Musa Matara, said party members were not against the use of the platform to bring about good governance in the country in 2027.
He expressed joy over the choice of the ADC by tested politicians to attempt a change of government in the next general election, adding, however, that there was no broad-based consultation before the emergence of a new leadership last week.
