2027: We won’t jump from 3 to 30, ADC mocks APC over primary figures

By Luminous Jannamike

The African Democratic Congress, ADC, has opened its presidential primary election with a mocking swipe at the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, declaring that unlike others, it would not ‘jump from 3 to 30 or from 500 to 1000’ while counting votes ahead of the 2027 general election.

The party used the commencement of its nationwide primary to portray itself as a rare example of competitive internal democracy at a time when many Nigerians believe presidential candidates are increasingly being produced through backroom deals rather than open contests.

Chairman of the ADC Presidential Primaries Election Committee, Chief Ikechi Emenike, alongside the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, and National Organising Secretary, Prince Chinedu Idigo, spoke on Monday in Abuja as voting commenced across the country to determine the party’s presidential candidate.

The race pits former Vice President Atiku Abubakar against former Rivers State governor and ex-Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, as well as economist and former Chairman of the Nigeria Economic Summit Group, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen.

Emenike said: “At a time when democratic values are increasingly being degraded within the nation’s political landscape, the ADC proudly stands out as the only political party in Nigeria presently demonstrating a genuine commitment to transparent, inclusive and democratic principles in the selection of its presidential candidate.

“Our aspirants are genuine presidential contenders, not some shadowy candidate contrived to confer legitimacy on a process where one man contested against himself.

“And as you would have seen, we know how to count properly and arithmetically. We are ADC. We will not inflate our registration numbers to deceive Nigerians. And when counting votes, we will not jump from 3 to 30 or from 500 to 1000.”

He said party members were already voting nationwide and urged them to ensure that only genuine figures were recorded during the exercise.

Meanwhile, the party spokesman, Abdullahi, insisted that the ADC remained the only party currently conducting what he described as a genuinely competitive presidential primary.

He said: “We are very proud that we are the only party conducting a real primary election in this country today. Even as we speak, none of the three aspirants can confidently tell you that he will fly the ticket of the African Democratic Congress.

“We are proud that we are giving Nigerians a truly competitive internal democratic process.”

ADC dismisses Kachikwu’s emergence as presidential candidate

The ADC spokesman also dismissed a rival faction that reportedly held separate congresses and announced Dumebi Kachikwu as the party’s presidential candidate.

He said: “If you go through the process with the Independent National Electoral Commission, leadership of the African Democratic Congress is not a matter for speculation. There are laid-down procedures within the organisation. There are specific processes you must go through and requirements you must meet.

“You need to submit a membership register. You need to provide details of your state officers. If you are conducting congresses, you must notify INEC and provide details across the states so the commission can monitor the process. They are expected to witness the congresses, monitor the results and supervise the entire exercise. All these processes have already started.

“So, for this issue to suddenly surface in Abuja on Sunday, we are left wondering what exactly is going on.

“This matter went up to the Supreme Court, the highest court in the land. It affirmed that there is only one leadership under former Senate President David Mark and former Governor Rauf Aregbesola.”

On party membership strength, Abdullahi said the ADC had 3,444,000 registered members based on records submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

“We are building a political party that is based on certain principles, one of which is transparency. So the number I have given you can be verified with INEC, and you will find it exactly as stated,” he said.

Abdullahi, however, returned to his criticism of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, accusing it of inflating membership figures ahead of the 2027 election.

He said: “What the APC is doing is amusing and laughable. They are simply setting the stage for the rigging of the 2027 election.

“By claiming that they have 20 million or 30 million members, they are trying to plant in people’s minds the idea that at least 11 million votes are already guaranteed. It is all lies.”

Also speaking, the party’s National Organising Secretary, Chinedu Idigo, said the ADC had put in place what he described as a meticulous process to ensure credible primaries across all elective positions.

“The process we have put in place is aimed at ensuring that the best candidates emerge,” he said.

On the role of INEC, Idigo said the commission had been formally notified and was monitoring the presidential primary nationwide.

He said: “We gave INEC the required notices and ensured that it attended all our primaries, from the state assembly to the governorship primaries.

“And reports reaching us today indicate that the presidential primaries are also being supervised by INEC across the federation.”

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