Anthony Ailemen
Ahead of the 2027 general election, there are strong indications that the African Democratic Congress ADC will pursue consensus option to produce its presidential candidate, according to Bolaji Abdullahi, the party’s National Publicity Secretary
, speaking exclusively with BusinessDay on the party’s preparations ahead of the 2027 election, said the party is currently working on establishing its structures across the country, following the recognition of its National Working Committee NWC, by the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC on Wednesday.
Asked if the party has resolved the issue of zoning its national offices, especially the presidential ticket for 2027, Abdullahi stated that ” those will come up later”
“Right now, what we are doing is engineering the party’s structures and membership drive
” For the presidential candidate, we are working on consensus. It is only when that fails that we can think of conducting primaries for the candidates to emerge”
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Rivers State Governor and former Transport Minister, Rotimi Amaechi as well as Peter Obi, former Presidential candidate of the Labour Party are the front runners for the party’s presidential ticket, in 2027.
Atiku Abubakar who was the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP in 2023 and Rotimi Amaechi who also contested the All Progressive Congress APC presidential ticket against the incumbent President Bola Tinubu, had moved from their former parties to join the ADC as a coalition vehicle to pursue their ambitions in 2027.
The party has been sharply divided over which region the presidential candidate should come from.
But Abdullahi told BusinessDay that ” When we get to that bridge, we will cross it, but for now, we are happy that the party’s activities have been strengthened by the decision of INEC on Wednesday, to approve the party’s leadership led by David Mark as National Chairman.
Other members of the party’s National Working Committee NWC, approved by INEC include Rauf Aregbesola- National Secretary
Ibrahim Ahmad – National Treasurer
Akibu Dalhatu- National Financial Secretary and Oserrheimen Osunbor- National Legal Adviser.
Speaking on the significance of the INEC’s action for the party, Abdullahi said members’ confidence in the party has become stronger
” Before now, there were things we had planned to do which we could not do because of the limitations placed on us by the law.
He cited the ” issuance of the party’s membership cards and registration of members”
” We couldn’t not register members and issue membership cards to them, because such cards require the names and signatures of the party’s Chairman and Secretary.
He disclosed that the party can now proceed with the organisation of party structures at the ward levels, establishment of Ward Executive Committees across the 8809 ward, and 774 local governments across the country.
The ADC image maker informed BusinessDay that the party has been receiving tremendous supports from Nigerians who are eager to usher in a new government in 2027.
” Today, we are more confident in approaching what we are doing and we can begin to hold meetings.
” We can now proceed with organising elective Congresses right from the ward levels, since we have a National Chairman and Secretary with the necessary legal backings to sign letters inviting the INEC to monitor, what we are doing”
” We have not been able to have the National Working Committee and National Executive Committee NEC meetings with proper legal backings, but all that has changed now”
He also disclosed that the party can now begin the process of appointing its coordinators across the zones in the country.
Source: Businessday.ng | Read the Full Story…
