Kachikwu accuses Atiku, coalition of attempting to hijack ADC
Former presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mr. Dumebi Kachikwu, has accused former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and members of the ADC coalition of attempting to hijack the party ahead of the 2027 general elections, REPUBLICAN NIGERIA reports.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, Kachikwu alleged that Atiku and his allies were behind efforts to destabilize the ADC and impose their control through financial inducements and manipulation.
He also criticized Atiku’s purported ambition to run for president on the ADC platform in 2027, claiming the former vice president does not support the emergence of a southern president.
“This is a man whose antecedents clearly show he doesn’t believe anyone from the southern part of Nigeria deserves being president,” Kachikwu said. “He is using charlatans to deceive Peter Obi into running as his vice-presidential candidate. Atiku almost truncated Chief Obasanjo’s government.”
Kachikwu warned that the ADC must not be sold to the highest bidder, insisting that those attempting to influence the party’s leadership were not genuine members. He alleged that state chairmen were offered up to N20 million each to resign in order to make room for Atiku’s camp.
“These so-called coalition members are not ADC members. They came to cause upheavals in the party. What we have here is not a political coalition but a political gang — a group seeking to revive their personal fortunes through the ADC,” he stated.
Kachikwu dismissed claims that he is acting as a paid spokesperson for President Bola Tinubu, saying, “It would be an honour to serve as a spokesperson for the president of the largest Black nation on earth, but that is not who I am.”
He also took aim at what he described as media propaganda aimed at misleading the public into believing that the coalition represents the true ADC.
He challenged Atiku to publicly declare support for the presidency to remain in the South for another six years if he truly believes in equity and national unity.
“If he truly wants a better Nigeria, let him support any southern candidate of his choice. But he will never do this,” Kachikwu said. “The ADC is not for sale and not an old people’s home. We are a party that believes in fresh faces, fresh ideals, and fresh ideas.”
He concluded by emphasizing that the ADC would resist any attempt to be hijacked by political actors seeking to reclaim relevance, adding that the party remains committed to promoting national interest above personal ambition.
