The newly appointed Chairman of the Board of Trustee (BoT) of the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the party’s 2015 presidential candidate, Dr Mani Ibrahim Ahmed, has explained why the national leadership of the party suspended its presidential candidate and 17 state chairmen.
The party has been in crisis in recent times over demand by the presidential candidate, Dumebi Kachikwu, to change the National Working Committee (NWC), especially the national chairman Chief Raph Nwosu, who has spent 17 years in office.
To this end, some state chairmen and other stakeholders loyal to Kachikwu had on Monday, inaugurated a caretaker committee, headed by the party’s Board of Trustee Chairman, Sen. Patricia Akwashiki.
But the national chairman through a statement, Wednesday announced Dr. Ahmed as the new BoT chairman, following the suspension of Alhaji Ibrahim Manzo, former National Vice Chairman, North-east of the party.
The said statement accused Manzo and some other party stalwarts of attempting to destabilize the party through undue negative publicity, and various other activities in contravention of Article 15 of the party constitution.
Speaking with newsmen shortly after his unveiling Tuesday at the party’s national secretariat, the new BoT chairman said the punitive measure slammed on some of the party chieftains, including the 17 states chairmen by the Chief Ralph Nwosu-led National Working Committee (NWC) still subsist.
The party chieftain who enjoined Kachikwu to explore avenues of mobilising votes to actualise his presidential ambition hinted that their suspension from the party could still be reversed by the appropriate organs of the party.
Ahmed who frowned at attempt by Kachikwu and the states chairmen to create disaffection in the party said their antics would not stop the party from jettisoning the pursuit of over 2000 contestants of the party vying for various elective seats across the country in the 2023 poll.
Ahmed, however threw his weight behind the continuous stay in office of Chief Nwosu as the party national chairman, saying it was in line with the party constitution.
While faulting the notions held in certain quarters that the party is factionalised, Ahmed said there was nothing wrong with Nwosu occupying the seat of the party chairman for the past 17 years since it was endorsed by successive conventions of the party.
“We dont have a faction here. The electoral management body recognizes Chief Nwosu-led leadership of the party. The legitimacy and authority is here in the national headquarters of the ADC,” he said.
Continued, he said: “We dont do things by fire brigade. The 17 chairmen who are less than half of our chairmen remain suspended. Because a large number of people meet to do something wrong does not make it right. What they did was in clear contravention of the party constitution.
“There is nothing that is happening that is against the constitution of the party. Convention through convention in every election he had been returned to be the chairman of the party. Mind you we had a humble beginning. I am sure about 10 years ago not many people were talking about ADC.
“It is now that the party has grown, when people are begining to show interests that some people want to come in and want to destabilize the party. The chairman has no problem with anybody.
“We expect candidates to concentrate on campaigns, build their campaign strictures and move into the campaigns to win votes.
“As chairman of the BOT we would try as much as possible to galvanize the party and part of this little tears and wears that is coming out would be fixed. We have a high hopes of winning seats at various levels.
“Elections are not just about the presidency. There ara alot of persons contesting for the house.of Representatives, Senate, and House of Assemblies across the states. We have almost 2000 of them. We cannot because of the ambition of one person jettison the remaining.we are a responsible party.”
