By Umar Dankano, Yola
Some stakeholders of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) have advised the Senator David Mark-led National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party to resist alleged pressure from powerful individuals seeking to disrupt the party’s concluded governorship primary through the back door.
Spokesman for the stakeholders, Bukar Dahi, made the call while addressing the media, urging the David Mark-led leadership to demonstrate greater independence and provide firm, transparent and equitable leadership capable of resolving the party’s internal disputes without undue influence from individual political leaders.
Dahi warned that any attempt to impose a candidate after a primary election would send a damaging signal to millions of Nigerians looking towards the ADC as a credible opposition platform.
He noted that the credibility of the ADC would ultimately be tested not by its speeches about rescuing Nigeria, but by how it manages internal democracy within its own ranks.
According to Dahi, the stakeholders believe the party’s national leadership must resist pressure from powerful individuals, uphold the integrity of its electoral processes and allow the people of Adamawa to determine who should represent the ADC in the 2027 governorship election.
The group alleged that the ADC was increasingly being overwhelmed by internal disagreements ahead of the 2027 general elections, raising questions about the opposition party’s ability to manage its affairs and present itself as a credible alternative to the ruling establishment.
The stakeholders further argued that reactions from some APC supporters should serve as a warning to the ADC leadership, noting that when political opponents openly celebrate decisions taken by a supposedly rival party, it raises questions about whether elements within the party are working in concert with forces outside it.
“When opposition elements begin to applaud actions within a party, then there is little or nothing left to be desired from such a party. It means the traducers are already working with elements within the party to bring the party down,” the stakeholders alleged.
They argued that the enthusiasm with which some APC supporters allegedly received the proposed substitution demonstrated the political threat posed by Omar Suleiman’s candidacy to the opposition establishment.
According to the stakeholders, the reaction was particularly revealing because it suggested that Omar Suleiman’s emergence had unsettled political calculations beyond the ADC itself.
The stakeholders questioned why a candidate who, according to them, emerged through the party’s governorship primary should be removed in favour of another aspirant who did not win the primary.
“There is no justified reason for the replacement of the candidate who emerged from the primary election with another aspirant. This is an action that directly undermines democracy in the state and in the country at large,” Dahi said.
The group maintained that any attempt to substitute Suleiman against the outcome of the party’s primary could damage the ADC’s electoral prospects and expose the party to accusations of abandoning internal democracy.
They therefore called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to carefully scrutinise any proposed change to the ADC’s Adamawa governorship candidature and ensure that due process, the party’s constitution and applicable electoral laws are respected.
The stakeholders urged the electoral commission to act in the interest of peace, equity, fairness and natural justice, particularly given the political sensitivities surrounding the 2027 governorship contest in Adamawa.
Dahi warned that if the ADC proceeded with what the stakeholders described as an unjustified substitution, the party could suffer a fate similar to what they alleged befell the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
“If the party goes ahead with the substitution, it risks losing the governorship election in Adamawa, just as we have seen with the APC. There are other viable parties and competent candidates in the state,” the stakeholders said.
They maintained that Omar Suleiman enjoys significant grassroots support, claiming that many people across Adamawa have greater confidence in his candidature than in those of candidates presented by other political parties.
The stakeholders therefore warned the ADC leadership against taking any action that could strengthen the political position of its opponents while weakening its own candidate.
They appealed to the ADC national leadership to resolve its internal disagreements, respect the outcome of its electoral processes and avoid actions capable of deepening the crisis within the party ahead of the 2027 elections.
According to the group, the crisis has become particularly troubling because of unresolved governorship disputes in several states, including Adamawa, Sokoto, Imo, Kano and Borno, as well as legal uncertainties surrounding some of the party’s candidates and its dealings with INEC.
Dahi said the growing disputes could undermine the ADC’s preparedness for the 2027 elections if the party’s leadership failed to resolve them quickly and transparently.