Dumebi Kachikwu, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, has condemned the opposition coalition’s decision to use the party as their platform for the 2027 elections.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, shortly after the coalition announced the ADC as their preferred platform to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Kachikwu accused the politicians of entering the party “through the back door”.
He predicted that the coalition members would soon be “shopping for a new party”.
The coalition met on Tuesday with some ADC leaders and appointed former Senate President David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola, ex-governor of Osun, as interim national chairman and secretary, respectively. Bolaji Abdullahi, a former minister of sports, was appointed as the coalition’s spokesperson.
The meeting was also attended by ex-Vice-President Atiku Abubakar; Sule Lamido, ex-governor of Jigawa; Uche Secondus, former PDP national chairman; Babangida Aliyu, former governor of Niger; Sam Egwu, former governor of Ebonyi; Aminu Tambuwal, former governor of Sokoto; and Liyel Imoke, former governor of Cross River.
However, Kachikwu criticised what he called the “takeover” of the party by the opposition coalition. He noted that the group was working with Ralph Nwosu, whose tenure as the party chairman expired in 2022.
He also argued that the ADC’s “brand of opposition” contradicts the ideas that the opposition coalition is “conversant with”.
Kachikwu questioned the legitimacy of the coalition’s actions using a series of rhetorical questions.
Read Also: Coalition: ADC Leaders stepped down for Mark and Aregbesola to lead party, says Nwosu
“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 a bad market from a man who represents a bad chapter in ADC’s past,” the statement reads.
He was particularly critical of the coalition members’ age and motives, describing them as politicians seeking to maintain their positions.
“Nigerians have watched in amazement as this group of mostly geriatrics shopped around for a party to prosecute their ‘chopping must continue’ ambition.”
Kachikwu called on the coalition to follow proper procedures if they wanted to join the ADC.
“If you seek to be a part of the ADC, do the proper thing and come through the front door. We are a party of decent and well-behaved people. Our brand of opposition is one that not only opposes but proposes, something that your group is not conversant with.”
He concluded by suggesting the coalition would likely move to another party soon.
“I strongly suspect that you will be shopping for another party very soon, and as you do that, we, the members of the African Democratic Congress, wish you bon voyage. Thank you, and God bless.”
