ADC not a special vehicle for Atiku, party chieftain insists

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A member of the Action Democratic Congress, Chille Igbawua, has dismissed claims that the party was being structured to serve the political ambition of a former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar.

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Igbawua stated this on Monday during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief.

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“We have sufficiently over time denied this issue that the ADC is a special-purpose vehicle for Atiku Abubakar. That certainly is untrue because nobody who has come into the ADC has been given preference over him.

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“To confirm that, Atiku Abubakar himself has said that he will contest this as his last attempt at the presidency and that should somebody else win, he is very willing to support such a person.

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“So, I don’t know what else people are expected to say that should comfort those who are contesting,” Igbawua said.

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His comments come amid the defection of 2023 presidential candidates Peter Obi (Labour Party) and Rabiu Kwankwaso (New Nigeria People’s Party) from the ADC on Sunday to the Nigeria Democratic Congress.

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Both opposition leaders cited multiple litigations within the ADC and a toxic political climate, which they accused the ruling party of inciting, as the main reasons for leaving the party they had joined just earlier this year.

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Igbawua said he would not fault the explanations given by the defecting politicians, noting that he is not their spokesperson.

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“Peter Obi has said that he has not been maltreated by either the National Chairman or by the other contestants by reference to Atiku Abubakar.

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“So, I can say I’m sufficiently an insider enough to know if discussions were held towards deciding who was going to emerge, the certainty about who will emerge is that it will be through a transparent and open process,” he added.

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Still on the breakfast programme, Igbawua said clarity on the party’s presidential candidate would emerge through a transparent and open process.

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He expressed surprise over reports of the defections.

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“We were surprised, but they have come out to explain themselves. I think we should believe that the things we have said are the things they mean, but the things they have not said are the things they may mean.

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“The fact remains that from the perspective of the political party there is nothing that should cause concern to anybody who is a member and who is aspiring to the office of president. As far as I can know now, we are aware that all the problems of the ADC are externally engineered, but we are overcoming them one by one,” Igbawua noted.

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