Leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has reassured its state chairmen that it has no intention to push them away, but rather to work with them to build a stronger party.
The Interim National Publicity Secretary of ADC, Bolaji Abdullahi, made this statement after the party’s leadership, led by Interim National Chairman, Sen. David Mark, met with state chairmen on Wednesday in Abuja.
No Intention to Shove Them Off
Abdullahi said, “We have invited all the state chairmen to this meeting to reassure them that we don’t have any intention to push them away.
XThe purpose of the meeting is to dispel all kinds of falsehood and rumours that have been going around the country that we have come to take over this party from them and to push them away.”
He added, “We don’t have any intention to shove them off. We are here to work with them as partners to build a stronger political party.
XThey are assured, and they are going to leave Abuja today more confident than they were yesterday, that they are partners in the building of this coalition.”
No Provision of the Party Violated
Abdullahi also responded to comments by the 2023 presidential candidate of the party, Dumebi Kachikwu, that the process of the coalition and the taking over of the party were flawed.
He said, “A presidential candidate is just someone, a member of the party. We are on a solid legal ground.
X If anyone has any evidence to show that we have violated our own constitution, we are open to be challenged. No member of ADC has disagreed with the process so far.”
The Chairman, ADC State Chairmen Forum, Kingsley Ogga, dispelled allegations that they were not carried along in the coalition process, saying, “We were all carried along and we were part of it (the process). We’re also in support of what is coming up now.”
Senator Ireti Kingibe, representing the Federal Capital Territory, stated that everyone in the meeting agreed to work together for the party.
When asked if she was still in the Labour Party or now in ADC, Kingibe said, “Please read the constitution. There are two clear factions of LP. The perfect definition that constitution gives for somebody to decamp without penalty. So you say I should stay in Labour Party. Which faction of LP do you want me to stay in?”
The Lagos State Chairman of ADC, George Ashiru, also said that all the state chairmen agreed that ADC should go into the coalition.
“The 37 state chairmen are here. We are not worried about the idea that we are being replaced because we know the constitution,” he said.
