• Accuses New Party Chieftains Of Forgery
• Party Denounces ‘Unfounded’ Leadership Claims, Affirms Nafiu As National Chairman

The 2023 Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mr. Dumebi Kachikwu, has warned Nigerian politicians against buying into the activities of the party under the chairmanship of former President of the Senate, David Mark.
 
This came as the party, on Friday, dismissed recent claims to its leadership by Mark and his associates, describing them as “unfounded.”  
Speaking on Friday in Abuja, Kachikwu said that the party has not been able to elect a new chairman since the expiration of Ralph Nwosu’s tenure two years ago.

“For the last two years, we don’t have any chairman because the tenure of Nwosu elapsed two years ago and since then, we have not been able to hold a convention to produce a new chairman. This was the matter we presented before the court,” he said. He insisted that the chairmanship tussle was a subject of litigation, noting that the court had sat twice on the issue before adjourning till October.

Kachikwu also stressed that no power would stop him from contesting the 2027 presidential election on the platform of the party, adding that anybody trying to win the party’s ticket through the “back door” should perish the thought. He stated that he had warned that a group of mostly old former political office holders were executing a carefully orchestrated agenda to take over the ADC structure to prosecute Atiku Abubakar’s presidential ambition in 2027.

“I also warned that Peter Obi and other presidential hopefuls in this coalition of geriatrics were being duped as Atiku’s men had been carefully positioned to take over the ADC party structure across the country.

“Today, I have been proven right as former governor Obi and his people have now realised that this coalition is, indeed, a one-man power grab,” he said.Kachikwu also accused new members of the party of deliberately perpetrating signature forgery in their desperation to hijack the ADC. He added: “I have here before you terms of settlement entered as judgment in the Court of Appeal of Nigeria holden at Port Harcourt with Appeal No: CA/PH/225/2023 between the ADC, Chief Ralph Nwosu, Ede Lawrence as appellants and some of the ADC state chairmen as respondents. 
  
“What is the fraud? To use the ADC, they needed to free it of all legal encumbrances such as those challenging Ralph Nwosu’s fraudulent claim to the chairmanship of the party and so, they forged signatures of some of the chairmen, who were not interested in the sale of the party and presented it to the court as terms of settlement, which the Court of Appeal adopted as judgment.  
  
“I have here copies of said judgment and international passport copies of the chairmen whose signatures were forged. 
  
“Our lawyers have dispatched petitions to the appropriate law enforcement agencies on this. As if this was not bad enough, we all watched almost two months ago, the comedy performance of Nwosu as he anointed David Mark as chairman of ADC and at the same time, presented him with a membership card of our party. 
  
“I again warned Nigerians that this was fraud being perpetrated in broad daylight as Nwosu had no legal mandate to anoint or appoint a chairman for our party.” He decried that sections of the media subsequently addressed Mark as chairman of ADC even when they knew it was constitutionally impossible.

“The same media about 10 days ago reported a supposed NEC meeting where the same Mark was again appointed Chairman of ADC. So, what are we to believe? When did the former Senate President become the chairman of ADC?” he asked.  He regretted that religion and ethnicity still influence politics in the country, pointing to unfolding events in the polity.
 
 “In the last presidential elections, I campaigned for meritocracy, insisting that we should leave region, religion, tribe and tongue from our politics. Those who were more schooled in the art of politics laughed at me because based on their experience, only amateurs talk about meritocracy in a nation whose constitution recognises and promotes the divisions of tribe and tongue.
  
“As I address you today on unfolding events within and without my party, the ADC, I am forced to acknowledge that indeed region, religion, tribe and tongue are, and will continue to be the key ingredients in our nation’s politics until we do away with the geriatrics who have a chokehold on our country,” he said.

Kachikwu accused Atiku and a few northern elite of trying to use the weapons of region, religion, tongue, tribe and poverty to convince millions of poor northerners they failed to transform their lives when they held power that a southern President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, hates them and is the cause of their poverty. 
  
“On a daily basis, they are spreading deliberate falsehoods against not only President Tinubu but against all potential southern aspirants for the Office of President,” he alleged.  
   
Coincidentally, the ADC, in a statement by the Special Assistant (Public Affairs) to its Interim National Chairman, Dr. Aminu Sani Alhassan, stressed that only bona fide members of the party can aspire to leadership positions.
 
The party reaffirmed Alhaji Nafiu Bala as its legitimate National Chairman and urged members to remain calm and united. He said: “In light of the resignation of Chief Ralph Nwosu, it has come to our attention that certain individuals, notably David Mark and his associates, have attempted to assert claims of leadership that are not only unfounded but also contrary to the principles and constitution of our party.
 
“First and foremost, it is essential to clarify that the resignation of Chief Ralph Nwosu did not create a free-for-all scenario within the ADC. Instead, it has opened a necessary dialogue regarding the future of our leadership, a dialogue that must be conducted within the framework established by our party’s constitution. 
 
“The ADC’s constitution is unequivocal in stipulating that any individual seeking to assume a leadership role must first be a bona fide member of the party. This fundamental requirement cannot be overlooked or circumvented by any means.”
 
Alhassan emphasised that the ADC’s constitution is clear that a leadership vacuum can only be filled through a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, followed by ratification at subsequent party conventions. He warned that there is no provision in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) regulations, the Nigerian constitution or the ADC constitution that allows anyone to assume leadership without meeting the criteria of membership and following due democratic process.
 
He also expressed confidence in INEC’s ability to uphold constitutional and democratic norms in political party affairs, calling on genuine members of the party to rally behind Bala and to work collectively towards the betterment of the party and communities. 
 
He added: “The actions being taken by David Mark and his cohort are not only a misinterpretation of our party’s governance structure but also a blatant disregard for the democratic principles that the ADC stands for.
 
“To our loyal and dedicated members, we urge you to remain calm and focused during this time of transition. The progress we have made as a party is a testament to the hard work and commitment of our genuine members. 
 
“We must not allow ourselves to be distracted or disheartened by the antics of those who seek to disrupt our unity and progress. The ADC is a party built on the foundations of integrity, accountability, and democratic values, and we must collectively uphold these principles.”