The Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dumebi Kachikwu, has written off reports of his suspension by the party’s Deputy National Chairman, Bamidele Ajadi saying that he is still the Presidenrial candidate of the party.
Speaking against the backdrop of Ajadi’s announcement, Kachikwu reiterated that the tenure of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) ended on Sunday, August 28, 2022.
Africa Daily News, New York had on Saturday earlier reported that Ajadi had announced Kachikwu’s suspension through a statement and accused the party presidential candidate of making “defamatory” statements that contravened the values of the ADC. Ajadi also accused him of other anti-party activities.
In his response, at a press conference in Abuja which was monitored by Africa Daily News, New York Kachikwu, in company with the ADC Chairman of state chairmen, Hon. Temitope Ogga, who also doubles as the Kogi State chairman of the party, as well as the Edo State Chairman, Kennedy Odion, insisted that his mandate, as the party’s presidential candidate, as well as that of the party’s candidate in the 2023 general election, would not be traded off by an illegal NWC.
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Kachikwu said: ‘…The tenure of the last NWC ended on August 28… Dr. Ralph Nwosu happens to be the longest-serving chairman in Nigeria, having served for 17 years.
‘For some reasons and for some reasons best known to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), we don’t know how he served for 17 years when the constitution of all political parties is with them…and the tenure of a national chairman is clearly spelt out, two terms of four years.
‘In the past, the ADC had the unpleasant record of trading off its candidates…
‘My mandate is not negotiable and the mandate of other candidates will not be negotiated.’
Kachikwu also gave an insight into the shenanigans playing out in the ADC.
‘I found out that my party was trying to substitute the name of my vice president with another candidate. I called the then national chairman and he hung up the call on me.
‘A week later, he came to my office on bended knees, telling me he was misled.
‘I was in Dubai when Nwosu announced a campaign council after I had told him that we would do that when I return from my trip….He begged for tenure extension of one year, but the state chairmen said they were not inclined to any extension.
‘As we speak, the National Executive Committee (NEC), comprising our elected member in the House of Representatives, Hon. Leke Abejide and the state chairmen, has decided that they would put in place an interim committee that would hold elections for a new NWC.
‘I want to make clear to the public that this party will not trade off or enter into alliance with any party to trade off their mandates. Once we have an election and have a new NWC, everything will fall into place. ‘How can INEC allow one man to hold sway for 17 years? INEC should know that NEC is called by state chairmen and not an illegal NWC.’
Ogga, who is also a member of the party’s NEC added: “Ajadi has no right to call for any meeting, except NEC. Can a dead body be an MC at his own funeral? The tenure of the former NWC lapsed on August 28. They are all gone. They can only come back by buying forms and be voted for. Their tenure lapsed last Sunday.
“When I saw the letter suspending Kachikwu, I called Nwosu and he confirmed that it was Ajadi that wrote the letter. Yet, we were all together on Friday and nothing like that was ever discussed at the meeting.
“I was with Nwosu and our member in the House of Representatives and we agreed to convene an emergency NEC meeting on Monday. We were to invite the former chairman to the NEC meeting and he (Nwosu) was begging us for six more months. We then agreed to elect a caretaker committee that would be there for just one month…”
Ogga, therefore, declared the suspension of its presidential candidate, Kachikwu, as null and void.
He pointed out that the tenure of the NWC had since expired on August 28, hence, ‘the illegality of the NWC to suspend Kachikwu.’
He went on to disclose that the National Executive Council, NEC, will tomorrow hold a meeting with INEC to inaugurate a caretaker committee that will host another convention to extend the tenure of the NWC and the ADC Chairman, Chief Ralph Okey Nwosu or elect a completely new leadership.
