The 2023 presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dumebi Kachikwu, has dismissed claims of his expulsion from the party, describing the move as illegal and lacking any constitutional basis.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Friday, Kachikwu insisted he remains a bona fide member of the ADC and will contest the party’s presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He accused former ADC national chairman Ralph Nwosu, whose tenure he claims expired two years ago, of orchestrating an “illegitimate takeover” of the party through the newly inaugurated Senator David Mark-led interim National Executive Committee (NEC).
Kachikwu alleged that the faction forged the signatures of some state chairmen in a legal settlement to gain control of the ADC’s structure in support of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s 2027 presidential ambition.
“This was part of a carefully planned hijack of the ADC,” he said, adding that the forgery allegations have been reported to relevant security agencies.
According to Kachikwu, the developments vindicate his earlier warnings about a coalition of “elderly political figures” working to align the ADC with Atiku’s presidential bid, at the expense of southern political interests.
He accused Atiku of having “no belief in a southern presidency” and claimed that both Peter Obi and former President Goodluck Jonathan were being positioned to serve the northern elite’s agenda.
“Meritocracy has been thrown out the door. Sadly, I am now championing the cause of a southern presidency, a notion I never fully embraced before,” he stated.
On his purported expulsion, Kachikwu recalled a similar attempt before the 2023 elections, noting: “A man who is not chairman of the party cannot expel me. I am a Nigerian today, yesterday, and tomorrow. I am a member of ADC today, yesterday, and tomorrow.”
The former ADC candidate also dismissed the legitimacy of David Mark’s appointment as party chairman, calling it a “fraud perpetrated in broad daylight.”
Kachikwu alleged that the moves to control the ADC were part of a wider plan to manipulate the 2027 polls along ethnic and religious lines, warning Nigerians against such tactics.
Despite the crisis, he maintained that nothing will stop him from contesting the ADC presidential primaries next year, adding that he has no immediate “plan B” outside the party.
Kachikwu further stated that the ADC has been without legitimate national leadership for two years, urging the party to invoke a “Doctrine of Necessity” to resolve the impasse and hold a national convention.
“We must keep the hope and dreams of our party alive. Our party must not perish under the current onslaught,” he declared.
The 9am News report notes that Kachikwu is also awaiting the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) stance on the leadership dispute while exploring legal action against the Mark-led NEC.
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