The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has rejected the presidential primary that produced former presidential candidate, Dumebi Kachikwu, describing the exercise as illegal and lacking the backing of the party’s recognised leadership.
Key Highlights:
- African Democratic Congress (ADC) rejected a presidential primary that produced Dumebi Kachikwu, calling it illegal and not recognised by its leadership or INEC.
- The party said the only legitimate leadership is headed by David Mark (chairman) and Rauf Aregbesola (secretary).
- ADC is currently conducting its own official presidential primary, which it claims is the only valid one.
- The party also accused the APC of inflating membership figures to create an advantage ahead of the 2027 elections.
- ADC said it has about 3.4 million registered members and named Atiku Abubakar, Rotimi Amaechi, and Mohammed Hayatu-Deen as aspirants in its ongoing primary.
The party also accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (ApC) of allegedly laying the foundation for rigging the 2027 general elections through what it described as inflated membership figures.
Speaking during a media briefing in Abuja on Monday ahead of the announcement of the party’s presidential primary results, ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, dismissed the gathering that adopted Kachikwu as the party’s consensus presidential candidate.
Kachikwu had emerged on Sunday during a meeting of aggrieved party members held at A-Class Garden in Maitama, Abuja, where he was adopted as the ADC presidential flagbearer for the 2027 election.
However, Abdullahi insisted that the exercise was not recognised by the party’s leadership or the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
According to him, the only leadership recognised by INEC is the one headed by former Senate President, David Mark, as national chairman and former Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, as national secretary.
“If we start referring to a group of people who meet in a room to entertain themselves, that is not a good thing. INEC organises elections; this matter went up to the Supreme Court, the highest court in the land.
“It affirmed that there’s only one leadership of former Senate President David Mark and former Governor Rauf Aregbesola,” Abdullahi said.
The ADC spokesman further claimed that the party was currently conducting what he described as the only credible presidential primary election in the country, noting that the contest remained open among the three aspirants seeking the party’s ticket.
“In ADC, we are very proud that we are the only party that is conducting the real primary election in this country today,” he said.
Abdullahi disclosed that the party had over 3.4 million registered members captured in records submitted to INEC.
“Based on the register of members that were submitted to INEC, we have 3,444,000 members,” he said.
He also accused the APC of allegedly manipulating membership figures ahead of the 2027 elections.
“What the APC is doing is amusing and laughable. What they are doing is setting the stage for rigging the 2027 election by claiming they have 11 million, 30 million, or whatever number of members.
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“What they are doing is to put it into your head to think that at least 11 million votes are guaranteed. It is all lies,” Abdullahi alleged.
He challenged the ruling party to make public a verifiable membership register submitted to INEC.
The ADC presidential primary features former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar; former Rivers State Governor and ex-Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; and economist as well as former Chairman of the Nigeria Economic Summit Group, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen.
Also speaking, ADC National Organising Secretary, Chinedu Idigo, said the party had put measures in place to ensure that credible candidates emerged from the primaries.
According to him, the party complied with electoral guidelines and notified INEC before the conduct of the primaries.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the ADC Presidential Primaries Election Committee, Ikechi Emenike, said the party had commenced nationwide voting to elect its presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
