ADC crisis gets messier as 2015 presidential candidate emerges new BoT chair

• Sacks 17 state chairmen, asks N’Assembly candidates to pick tickets Sept 12
• Kachikwu remains suspended, no leadership change, Nwosu insists

The last is yet to be heard of the crisis rocking the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as its presidential candidate for the 2015 general elections, Dr. Mani Ibrahim Ahmed, has been appointed new Board of Trustees (BOT) chairman.

The decision, which flowed from resolution of the National Working Committee (NWC) and critical stakeholders’ meeting, yesterday, in Abuja, followed the suspension of former National Vice Chairman (North East) of the party, Alhaji Ibrahim Manzo.

National Chairman, Chief Ralphs Nwosu, in a statement, also suspended 17 state chairmen for anti-party activities, denigrating conduct and utterances in contravention of Article 15 of the party constitution.

The affected chairmen include: Kingsley Temitope Oggah (Kogi); Kennedy Odion (Edo); Auwal Abba Barde (Gombe); Leader Sampson (Rivers); Johnny Tovie Derek (Bayelsa) and Elias Adikwu (Benue).

Others are: Ilesanmi Omolayo Joel (Ekiti); Kabiru Hussaini (Jigawa); Patrick Ambut (Kaduna); Emmanuel Dibia (Delta); Clement Ehigiator (FCT); Alhaji Musa Hassan (Niger); Alaka Godwin William (Nasarawa); Samuel Gyang (Plateau); Bala Suffiayanu (Kebbi); Bello Isiyaku (Sokoto) and Muhammed Khala Jidda (Borno).

Stating that their replacements would be announced in due course, Nwosu explained that former Abia State chairman of the party, Don Norman, had been expelled. He advised all National Assembly candidates to collect their Certificates of Return (CoRs) on September 12.

THIS is even as Nwosu stressed that the suspension slammed on the party’s presidential candidate for 2019 polls, Dumebi Kachikwu, has not been lifted.

He regretted that although Kachikwu emerged from a free and fair presidential primary, the presidential candidate “has done nothing to show that he is actually prepared to contest the February 25, 2023 election.” He decried “Kachikwu’s attempts to cause confusion in ADC.”

Nwosu assured that ADC would live up to billing as a “truly democratic party and credible alternative to the two other destitute parties that have plunged Nigeria into debt, darkness and insecurity.”

In an interview with The Guardian, yesterday, the national chairman, stated: “The attempt to balkanise our great party is the clear evidence of wilful mischief by those who are ignorant of ADC’s constitution.

“The ADC constitution, which is also in the custody of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), laid down the procedure of changing the party’s leaders.”

On Patricia Akwashiki’s emergency as caretaker chairman, Nwosu stated: “There was nothing like that.” He claimed: “Akwashiki, who was BOT chairperson, also headed the screening committee put together to conduct due diligence on all our presidential aspirants that handled Kachikwu’s screening, which has put the party in a bad light.

“If Mr. Kachikwu can operate this way as a mere candidate, he will be a terrible dictator if elected. Nigeria is not a dictatorship, as such, a candidate cannot wake up and appoint a caretaker chairman for a political party in the way Kachikwu tried to manipulate the party.

“It is only through a national convention that a substantive national chairman could be elected. However, to avoid chaos and ensure good running of the party, NEC can intervene on any matter to keep the party focused.”