-
Coalition represents “bad chapter in Nigeria’s past” – Kachikwu
From Charity Nwakaudu, Abuja
Former National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Chief Ralph Nwosu has formally handed over and presented the membership card of the party to former Senate President, David Mark, and former Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, as the interim National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively.
The handing-over ceremony was held in Abuja on Wednesday, July 2.
In his acceptance speech, former President of the Senate, David Mark, called on Nigerians to join the coalition of opposition parties to rescue the country from collapse and rebuild its democracy.
“Let it be known to all that this coalition of national political opposition groups goes beyond gaining political power. It is a concerted effort to rebuild the crumbling pillars of Nigeria’s democracy,” he stated.
“The mission is clear: Rescue Nigeria. Rebuild Nigeria. Return power to the people,” Mark, who was picked as the ADC interim chair, added.
The 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar; his Labour Party counterpart, Peter Obi; a former Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai; and a former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, were present at the meeting.
Others included a former member of the National Assembly, Senator Dino Melaye; a former Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung; Dele Momodu; Senator Gabriel Suswam; Senator Ireti Kingibe of the Labour Party (LP); a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha; and a former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar (retd.).
Several other politicians from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), and the Labour Party (LP) were also in attendance.
The opposition coalition adopted the ADC as the platform to unseat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general elections.
The party had appointed Mark, who has resigned his membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as its interim National Chairman, with Aregbesola appointed as the interim National Secretary.
Meanwhile, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, in the 2023 election, Dumebi Kachikwu, in his reaction, said that he is watching the announced takeover of the ADC leadership by the coalition with amusement.
“It is with the greatest amusement that I watched the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar-led group announce their takeover of the national leadership of the African Democratic Congress. As is expected, I have been inundated with a lot of calls and messages seeking my reaction to the unfolding dramedy,” he stressed.
Kachikwu, who claimed that the coalition is dealing with the former leadership of the party led by Ralph Nwosu, stressed that the tenure of the Nwosu-led executive of the ADC ended on August 21, 2022.
Kachikwu, who berated the coalition group, stating that they represent a bad chapter in Nigeria’s past, said that if they want to join the party, they should do so through the front door.
“The facts of the matter are as follows: The Atiku-led group is in some form of alliance with the former leadership of the party led by Ralph Nwosu. The tenure of the Nwosu-led executive lapsed on August 21, 2022, and his continued parade of himself as the chairman of the party was the subject of various litigations in different courts across the country.
“From the foregoing, I want to then pose the following questions: Can you build something on nothing? Can you shave a man’s hair in his absence? Can you enter a man’s house through the back door and declare yourself the landlord? These yesterday’s men, who represent a bad chapter in Nigeria’s past, have bought bad market from a man who represents a bad chapter in ADC’s past,” Kachikwu added.