We’ll stop imposition, reform ADC bureaucracy – Mark replies Lukman

By Luminous Jannamike

ABUJA – In what seemed a subtle reply to concerns raised by Salihu Lukman, a prominent chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Senator David Mark, the party’s Interim National Chairman, has pledged to end the imposition of candidates and establish a competent internal bureaucracy within the party.

Mark made the commitment during the ADC’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held in Abuja on Tuesday, where he reiterated the party’s commitment to internal democracy and transparency.

“I assure you that under my leadership, we shall be committed to full democratic practices and principles that abhor imposition and special privileges. Internal democracy, transparency, and accountability will be our mantra,” Mark said while addressing party members.

Earlier on Tuesday, Lukman had issued a statement titled ‘ADC and the Prospect of Internal Democracy’, in which he warned the interim leadership against the rise of godfatherism and the imposition of loyalists.

He accused some coalition leaders of manipulating the party’s leadership reform process by promoting allies at the expense of merit, including qualities like intellectual capacity, integrity, and broad acceptability.

He cautioned that if these practices continued, the ADC could end up replicating the shortcomings of older political parties, which could damage the party’s credibility and its electoral chances in 2027.

Lukman therefore urged Senator Mark to commit to transparency and merit-based leadership to prevent the emergence of political godfathers imposing surrogates across party structures.

In response, Mark reaffirmed his intention to lead the ADC with fairness and a grassroots focus.

“We will be fair and just to all party members. We promise to be totally transparent. ADC will have zero tolerance for anti-party and other forms of indiscipline,” he said.

During the meeting, the interim chairman also unveiled a set of reform proposals, including the reservation of 35% of leadership positions for women and the creation of a 50-member policy committee to guide the party’s direction on national issues.

“We will open the gates for the next generation. Our policies, nominations, and leadership roles will reflect meaningful inclusion of youths and women, not just tokenism.

“Within the shortest possible time, the NWC will raise committees to review the manifesto and the constitution of our party to meet and reflect the aspirations of the Nigerian people,” he added.

The proposed 50-member committee will focus on sectors such as health, education, agriculture, technology, security, economy, and infrastructure.

“Nigerians must know us as a party driven by unblemished ideology, progressive policies, and patriotic governance. We will not leave it to the discretion of individual candidates to choose what to do with power.

“ADC is the only party that guarantees equal opportunity to everyone regardless of age, gender, religion, or region. Our handshake is across all divides,” he emphasised.

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