Dumebi Kachikwu, the 2023 presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), says recent developments within the party have made political ambitions through its platform a “nonstarter”.
Kachikwu spoke in a statement by The Cable following the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to stop recognising the caretaker committee led by David Mark and the Nafiu Bala Gombe faction.
The commission had said it would not recognise any faction of the party until the ongoing court cases over the leadership dispute are resolved.
Reacting to the development, Kachikwu said he had been inundated with calls and messages seeking his reaction to the electoral commission’s position.
He alleged that the crisis began after the expiration of the tenure of Ralph Nwosu as chairman of the ADC.
Kachikwu also alleged that Nwosu sold the party to politicians he said were seeking another platform after leaving their former parties.
“Ralph Nwosu, whose tenure as chairman of the African Democratic Congress lapsed on the 21st of August 2022, sold the ADC to men who had destroyed their parties and were seeking for another party with which to prosecute their grudge match against President Tinubu and the APC,” the statement reads.
“Jumping from political party to political party, no ideology, no belief system, standing for nothing and believing only in the notion that power is their birthright,” he said.
The former presidential candidate said he had previously warned that the party was heading into a crisis.
“I had long warned that the ADC was a bad market and that anyone who attempted to come into the party through the back door would be shown the way out through the windows,” he said.
Kachikwu said several court cases related to the party’s leadership crisis may eventually reach the supreme court.
“There are several court cases that will end at the supreme court, and the only way they can win is if the supreme court can change Monday to Saturday and Saturday to Tuesday,” he said.
He added that the actions of some political actors had effectively ended the possibility of contesting elections through the party.
“So, all those of you who joined these geriatrics because you seek to contest for positions in the 2027 general election, I regret to inform you that the actions of these men have rendered any political aspiration through the ADC a nonstarter,” he said.
Kachikwu also criticised plans to increase the cost of nomination forms for party positions.
He also alleged a political arrangement between some actors and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Kachikwu dismissed claims that the development signals the emergence of a one-party state in Nigeria, noting that several other political parties remain active in the country.
“My consolation in all these is that you can fool man, but you can’t fool God,” he said.
