Nasarawa ADC Suspends State Chairman Alaku Over Anti-Party Allegations
…..As TLT set up Disciplinary Team
By Yahaya Idris
In a dramatic turn of events, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Nasarawa State through the party’s Transitional Leadership Team (TLT) has suspended the State Chairman, Mr. Godwin Alaku Williams, over weighty allegations of anti-party activities.
The decision was announced at a high-stakes meeting of critical stakeholders on Wednesday at the Otunsha Hotel in Keffi, signals deepening internal fractures within the party’s Nasarawa chapter amid ongoing power struggles and national leadership directives.
Party insiders describe the suspension as a bold move to restore unity and align the state structure with the ADC’s national vision under Senator David Mark, GCON.
The statement was duly signed and made available to newsmen by Comr. Idris Ojoko, State Publicity Secretary, ADC Nasarawa State Chapter, saying the suspension stems from a damning petition submitted to the TLT, which painted Mr. Alaku as a major obstacle to the party’s progress in the state.
Sources at the meeting revealed that the document detailed several infractions allegedly committed by the suspended chairman, including his outright non-recognition of the ADC’s National Leadership headed by Senator David Mark.
According to the statement, the defiance, petitioners argued, has sown seeds of discord and undermined the party’s cohesion at a time when opposition platforms are jostling for relevance ahead of future elections.
The TLT, acting swiftly to avert further crisis, invoked its authority to halt what it termed “detrimental actions” threatening the ADC’s foothold in Nasarawa.
Further allegations in the petition accused Mr. Alaku of refusing to integrate members of a key coalition into the ADC’s state structure, a move seen as exclusionary and contrary to the party’s inclusive ethos.
Political observers in Nasarawa noted that this coalition, comprising influential figures from various shades of opposition politics, was pivotal to the ADC’s expansion strategy in Nasarawa.
By blocking their integration, the chairman allegedly frustrated efforts to broaden the party’s base, a development that reportedly irked national leaders and prompted urgent intervention from the TLT.
Compounding the charges, Mr. Alaku is accused of reporting prominent ADC leaders, including His Excellency Chief John Michael Abdul, Senator Suleiman Adokwe, and Mallam Jibril Sabo Keana, to critical security and electoral agencies like the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Department of State Services (DSS), and Nigeria Police.
The reports allegedly branded these leaders as “impostors,” a move decried at the stakeholders’ meeting as sabotage designed to discredit genuine party faithful.
Such actions, stakeholders lamented, not only exposed internal laundry to outsiders but also risked derailing the ADC’s registration and operational activities in the state.
The petition did not stop there, leveling accusations of Mr. Alaku constituting parallel party organs at various levels across Nasarawa State, effectively creating a splinter structure that bypassed official channels.
This parallel setup, according to sources, mirrored factional woes plaguing other Nigerian parties and threatened to fragment the ADC’s machinery ahead of membership drives.
Critics at the Otunsha Hotel gathering described it as a “one-man show” that ignored the collective will of party members, prompting calls for decisive action to reclaim the party’s democratic credentials.
Adding to the list of grievances, the suspended chairman allegedly interfered with the establishment of official ADC offices at state, local government, and ward levels, in direct violation of directives from the National Working Committee (NWC).
Party members present emphasized that these offices are crucial for grassroots mobilization, voter outreach, and operational efficiency.
The interference, they claimed, stalled progress and left the party vulnerable in key areas like Lafia, Keffi, and rural wards, where ADC support is growing amid dissatisfaction with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
In response to these multifaceted allegations, the TLT approved a 14-day suspension for Mr. Alaku, pending a thorough investigation by a newly constituted Disciplinary Committee.
Heading the seven-member panel is former Deputy Governor of Nasarawa State, His Excellency Chief John Michael Abdul, whose vast political experience is expected to lend credibility to the probe
The committee comprises Barr. Hassan Yakubu (Chairman), Amina Zanwa, Mr. Mamman Sunday, Hon. Yunus Abdullahi Sidi (all Members), and Mr. Gaza Mark Auta as Secretary, with a mandate to unravel the truth and recommend further sanctions if guilt is established.
To ensure seamless continuity, the TLT appointed Barr. Paul Magaji Ajeh, hitherto the State Secretary, as Acting State Chairman, while Umar A. Babayaro steps in as Acting State Secretary.
The meeting, attended by heavyweights like Senators Mohammed Ogoshi Onawo and Patricia Akwashiki, Barr. Musa Elayo, Barr. Mohammed Abdullahi, Mallam Jibril Sabo Keana, retired General Nuhu Angbazo, Barr. John Mathew, Hon. Yamusa Chindo, Mr. Nathaniel Aboki, Mr. Mamman Sunday, Gaza Mark Auta, and Mrs. Liyatu Bala, endorsed the leadership changes amid applause.
