With almost all the most ambitious politicians in Adamawa State now in the African Democratic Congress, ADC, the party looks headed to being the battleground for aspiring governors come 2027 but insists fairness to all members will save it from implosion.
The state governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, in 2023, Senator Aishatu Ahmed (Binani); one of the men who aspired with her for the ticket, former Governor Jibrilla Bindow; as well as characteristically hard fighting Senator Ishaku Abbo, all of APC until recently, have now joined the ADC.
Senator Abdulazeez Nyako, son of a former Adamawa governor who earlier in 2019 injected life into the ADC and ran for governor that year under its ticket but later defected into APC, is also back in ADC.
The four governorship hopeful and possibly others, joined the fray as the coalition ADC moves towards 2027. They are likely to ignite the sort of rivalry that has caused election season rancour in APC since 2019, but ADC leaders say fair leadership will insulate the party from such rancour.
Chairman of the ADC in Adamawa State, Shehu Yohanna, said in an interview with DAILY POST that everyone will have adequate accommodation to thrive.
He said, “Everybody will be treated as one. Either you have been in the party for years like me or you are just coming in as a coalition member, we are all one. We will live true to our logo. Our logo is handshake. It means welcome. It’s a symbol of love and togetherness.
“As the chairman of the party, I have deep regards for the established structure. I won’t be violating any rule or sidelining anyone or structure to please anyone over any other. Everyone will be treated in all fairness and handed a level playing ground.”
Yohanna, who has been in the ADC since 2019, first as an ordinary member and later as state secretary and now as chairman, stressed that the ADC has a rare attribute of accommodating people and opinions and ambitions, which he attributed to how the party became the choice of coalition politicians across the country.