ADC Faces Fresh Primary Election Crisis Over Alleged Candidate Substitution
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) is facing a fresh internal crisis after aggrieved members accused the party’s national leadership of allegedly replacing candidates who emerged from duly monitored primary elections with preferred nominees in six states.
The affected states include Nasarawa, Kogi, Cross River, Anambra, Oyo and Lagos, where party members claim the outcome of the primary elections has been altered despite recommendations made by the party’s appeal committee.
The development has prompted a formal petition to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), with the petitioners seeking an investigation into the alleged candidate substitution and urging the electoral body to ensure that only duly affirmed candidates are recognised.
According to the petition, the ADC National Working Committee (NWC) constituted a Primary Election Appeal Committee to review complaints arising from the party’s primaries across the affected states.
The petitioners stated that after reviewing the disputes, the committee reportedly recommended the restoration of about 50 candidates whom it found to have emerged through properly monitored nomination processes.
However, they alleged that despite setting up the committee, the party’s National Chairman has yet to implement its recommendations.
The aggrieved members argued that failure to enforce the committee’s decisions would undermine internal democracy, weaken confidence in the party’s leadership and create unnecessary legal disputes ahead of the general elections.
The petition also raised allegations against two senior aides to the National Chairman, Special Adviser on Political Matters, CID Mmaduabum, and Chief of Staff, Suleiman Adoke.
According to the petitioners, the two officials allegedly assumed responsibilities reserved for the National Working Committee and influenced the National Chairman against implementing the appeal committee’s report because its recommendations were “not in their favour.”
The allegations have not been independently verified, and no official response has been issued by the officials named in the petition.
The petitioners maintained that recognising candidates who were not recommended by the appeal committee would damage the credibility of the party’s internal electoral process.
They argued that such action could also affect public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
According to the petition:
“Uploading names of persons not recommended by the Party Appeal Committee set up by the NWC would erode confidence in INEC’s oversight of political party primaries, kill party internal democracy and undermine the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process.”The petition further warned that “INEC must not be seen as a collaborator in institutionalizing internal party dictatorship.”
One of the major cases cited in the petition concerns the Idemili South State Constituency in Anambra State.
The petitioners alleged that Hon. Chiamaka Jessy Okpala was the only aspirant who purchased the ADC nomination form, successfully passed the screening process and participated in the primary election monitored by INEC.
Despite reportedly being the sole qualified aspirant, the petition claimed her name was later substituted with another individual who allegedly contested under the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
According to the petition, the appeal committee recommended that Okpala’s candidature be restored, but the recommendation has yet to be implemented.
ADC Stakeholders Demand Urgent NWC Meeting
In a related development, concerned ADC stakeholders in Nasarawa State called on the party’s National Chairman, Senator David Mark, to urgently convene a meeting of the National Working Committee.
The stakeholders urged the party leadership to review, ratify and implement the recommendations of the various appeal committees across the affected states.
They argued that respecting the appeal committee’s findings would strengthen party unity, reduce the risk of prolonged litigation and improve the ADC’s chances in the forthcoming general elections.
The stakeholders also warned that unresolved disputes over candidate nominations could distract campaign activities, weaken the party’s presidential ticket and other candidates, and undermine the ADC’s ability to present a united front.
They further called on the National Working Committee to investigate allegations of internal sabotage and ensure that only candidates duly affirmed through the party’s appeal process are uploaded to the INEC nomination portal.
As of the time of filing this report, INEC and the national leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) had not issued official responses to the allegations contained in the petition.
The unfolding controversy is expected to test the party’s internal dispute resolution mechanisms as preparations for the general elections gather momentum.
