…Asks Mark not to allow godfathers hijack party
…We’ll stop imposition, reform ADC bureaucracy, Mark replies Lukman
…ADC’ll die soon, Obi will return to PDP— Ali Modu Sheriff
…Peter Obi can’t risk returning to PDP—ADC spokesman
By Omeiza Ajayi, Luminous Jannamike & Eniola Akande
ABUJA—Foremost promoter of the coalition-backed African Democratic Congress, ADC, Salihu Lukman, has warned against the infiltration of “godfathers,” who could derail the party’s democratic aspirations ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He spoke as former governor of Borno State and a chieftain of All Progressives Congress, APC, Ali Modu Sheriff, dismissed ADC as a party that would soon go out of existence, adding that the presidential candidate of Labour Party, LP, in 2023 elections, Peter Obi, would return to Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Modu Sheriff was, however, countered by spokesman of ADC, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, who said Obi would not risk returning to PDP. Lukman in a statement in Abuja yesterday, noted the pessimism of some opposition leaders in the 18 months leading to the final adoption of the ADC.
“With the way things are going, coalition leaders will emerge as godfathers, and the next thing is that they will impose their surrogates at all levels as leaders of the ADC,” he predicted, adding that this would naturally lead to anointing preferred candidates for the 2027 elections.
Lukman asserted that the first true test of Senator David Mark’s leadership, as interim national chairman of the party, would be his ability to “mitigate all these and ensure that ADC is not a party that will be controlled by godfathers.” He acknowledged the difficulty in uniting opposition leaders, many of whom initially showed skepticism and resisted joining the coalition’s meetings, even accusing the initiators of being sponsored by presidential aspirants.
According to him, many of those who thought it was an impossible task are now angling to take over the structure of the party by installing their stooges in critical positions.
Lukman’s admonition came on a day the Interim National Chairman of the party, Senator David Mark, with his team, formally took over as the new national leadership of the ADC.
The former National Vice Chairman, North-West, of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC, is a prominent advocate for internal democracy, In a statement, titled “ADC and the Prospect of Internal Democracy,” Lukman expressed concerns that the ADC risked mirroring the fate of older parties such as Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and All Progressives Congress, APC, if immediate steps were not taken to safeguard its internal democratic processes.
He also emphasised the importance of ensuring democratic practices at the state and local government levels, particularly in Kaduna State, where he called for an end to divisive politics of religion and ethnicity and for institution of all-inclusive leadership. “Coming from Kaduna State, we must take every necessary step to discontinue the political culture of divisive politics of religion and ethnicity.”
We’ll stop imposition, reform ADC bureaucracy, Mark replies Lukman
Replying Lukman last night, Senator David Mark, pledged to end the imposition of candidates and establish a competent internal bureaucracy within the party.
Mark, who made the commitment during the ADC’s National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting in Abuja yesterday, said: “I assure you that under my leadership, we shall be committed to full democratic practices and principles that abhor imposition and special privileges. Internal democracy, transparency, and accountability will be our mantra.’’
He accused some coalition leaders of manipulating the party’s leadership reform process by promoting allies at the expense of merit, including qualities like intellectual capacity, integrity, and broad acceptability.
ADC’ll die soon, Obi will return to PDP — Ali Modu Sheriff
In a related development, former governor of Borno State, Ali Modu Sheriff, maintained that ADC would not stand the test of time.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, on Monday night, the former governor said the buzz around the ADC would die down in three months because of the presidential ambition of some of the top politicians in the party.
Shortly after the launch of the coalition, Rotimi Amaechi, a former Minister of Transportation, and Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, declared their interest in contesting the 2027 polls.
There are also speculations that Atiku would also contest for the party’s presidential ticket. In his estimation, Sheriff said the perceived struggle for the party’s presidential ticket would lead to an implosion.
Peter Obi can’t risk returning to PDP —ADC spokesman
However, ADC has ruled out the possibility of Peter Obi returning to PDP.
Spokesman of ADC, Bolaji Abdullahi, who made the assertion during an appearance on Prime Time, a current affairs programme on Arise Television on Monday, insisted that the former governor remained an integral part of the coalition of opposition parties being spearheaded by the ADC ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He said: “Let me say clearly, Peter Obi is in the coalition, regardless of what anybody is saying. But it is good to see that it has taken the coming on board of the ADC to get the PDP to begin to make some movements.
“But everyone knows the jugular of the PDP is in the hands of the ruling party. Peter Obi, more than anyone else, knows that he cannot take the risk of going to the PDP.”
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