• Tagging Obi ‘best’ insults other ADC leaders, Momodu tells Obidients
• APC ex-national chairman explains defection to ADC
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has appointed former Imo State Governor, Emeka Ihedioha, its immediate past national chairman, Ralphs Nwosu; Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, Senator Ehigie Uzamere, legal icon, Etigwe Uwa (SAN) and 16 others to review its constitution, to ensure inclusivity in line with global best practices.
Meanwhile, a chieftain of ADC, Dele Momodu, has faulted the insistence of supporters of former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, that he must emerge as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 election, describing it as an insult to other leaders of the coalition.
While opposition politicians revel in jumping on the All Progressives Congress (APC) bandwagon, former National Chairman of the ruling party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, has joined the ADC, explaining that the decision was guided by principle and conscience.
National chairman of ADC, Senator David Mark, while inaugurating the 21-member Constitution Review Committee of the party in Abuja yesterday, said the event marked a significant milestone in the continuous growth and institutional strengthening of the ADC and “underscores our collective resolve to build a party founded on strong democratic values, internal cohesion and effective governance.”
According to him, a party’s constitution is its moral compass and legal backbone that defines its ideology, guides its conduct, regulates internal processes and safeguards internal democracy.
He said: “As our party continues to expand in reach and responsibility, it is both necessary and timely to review our constitution to ensure that it reflects present realities, anticipates future challenges, and aligns with global best practices in democratic party administration.
“This exercise is not about changing principles; it is about strengthening them. It is about ensuring clarity, fairness, inclusiveness and accountability in our structures and processes. It is about creating a framework that empowers our members, promotes unity, resolves disputes fairly and positions the ADC as a credible alternative for national leadership.”
Mark charged members of the committee to listen to the voices of party members at all levels, respect the party’s founding values, and produce a constitution that strengthens internal democracy, enhances discipline and guarantees transparency in party affairs.
With Uwa as chairman, other members of the committee include Peter Oyewole, C.I. Maduabum, Isaka Bawa, Dr Sally Oguni-Agbo, Aishatu Dan-Kani, and Prof Lawal Salihu.
Others are Mohammad Kumalia, Suleiman Usman (SAN), Zawo Osu, D.I.G. Ibrahim Adamu (rtd), Dr Rasaq Saliu, Senator Orker Jev, Senator Idris Umar, Amanda Pam, Prof Mohamned Bello, Dr Paul Angya and Lamido Dodo.
In his acceptance speech, Uwa promised a tidy and acceptable constitution that would make the ADC stand out.
MOMODU spoke on Channels Television yesterday while reacting to comments by rights activist, Aisha Yesufu, and political economist, Prof Pat Utomi, both allies of Obi, who had warned that their support could be withdrawn if Obi is not given the ADC presidential ticket.
Yesufu had argued that Obi is “the best” among the political figures in the ADC and should not “play second fiddle” to anyone in the coalition, a position earlier echoed by Utomi.
Reacting, Momodu said the narrative coming from sections of the Obidient Movement was divisive and dismissive of other prominent figures in the party.
“When I talked about people being rambunctious, I read stories where someone was quoted as saying, ‘Why will the best of us always be playing second fiddle to the worst of us?’” Momodu said. “What determines who is the worst of us?”
He described such language as insulting, stressing that the ADC is peopled by many experienced political leaders. Momodu recalled Atiku’s long political history, noting that he began contesting the presidency as far back as 1993.
ADAMU, who was received into the ADC fold in Keffi, Nasarawa State, yesterday, was appointed APC national chairman in March 2022, and he “resigned” from office in July 2023, less than two months after President Bola Tinubu was sworn in as President.
While addressing a gathering of APC faithful at his defection arena, Adamu accused the APC of deviating from its founding ideals. According to him, the ruling party sidelined experienced members, suppressed dissenting opinions, and weakened internal democracy.
The ex-party chair served as governor of Nasarawa State for eight years, from 1999 to 2007. He got elected to the Senate in 2007 to represent Nasarawa West on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
While in the Senate, the 79-year-old politician joined nine other serving PDP senators to defect to the APC in 2014. The Nasarawa-born politician had maintained a low profile since he left office as APC boss, in circumstances considered cloudy by the public.
Adamu had, in the build-up to the APC presidential nominations in 2022, declared a former President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, as the party’s consensus candidate for the 2023 presidential election.
However, President Bola Tinubu defeated Lawan and 12 others to win the APC ticket and was eventually declared the winner of the presidential election.
