State Chairmen in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) are displeased with the collapse of all structures in the party to drive a coalition of forces ahead of the 2027 general election.
The former national chairman, Ralph Nwosu, had announced the collapse of the party structures to enable new leadership to drive a coalition of forces that would take over power from the incumbent All Progressives Congress (APC).
The development elicited sharp criticisms from the ADC 2023 presidential candidate, Dumebi Kachikwu, who described Atiku Abubakar and his co-ADC converts as “a bunch of greedy old men.”
Speaking to Punch, the ADC chairman in Benue State, Elias Adikwu, lamented how the party’s new leadership 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 blamed the new leadership for the collapse of the party’s state structures, noting that the David Mark-led exco is embarking on a registration exercise that leaves more questions than answers.
He said: “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 a directive from their national leader on the next 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 PUNCH on the development.
“We are keeping our plans close to our chest,” he said.