By NEFISHETU YAKUBU

National Publicity Secretary of African Democratic Congress (ADC), Bolaji Abdullahi, has dismissed claims of a factional leadership within the party.

Abdullahi insisted that ADC recognised only the leadership headed by a former Senate President, David Mark, as legitimate and constitutionally-recognised.

Abdullahi made this known during a pre-collation of ADC presidential primary election news conference held in Abuja on Monday, ahead of the declaration of results.

Abdullahi said the Supreme Court had affirmed the legitimacy of the party’s leadership under Mark and former Governor Rauf Aregbesola.

He stated that records on the portal of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) clearly reflected the recognised leadership structure of the party.

“We can’t start referring to a group of people who meet in a room to entertain themselves as a faction of ADC.

“This matter has gone up to Supreme Court, the highest court in the land.

It affirmed that there’s only one leadership, which is that of the former Senate President David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola,” he said.

The ADC spokesman said the party had fulfilled all constitutional and electoral requirements, including submission of membership registers and notifications for congresses monitored by INEC officials.

Abdullahi disclosed that ADC had 3,444,000 registered members contained in records officially submitted to INEC, following a verification and cleanup exercise.

He challenged the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to produce verifiable membership records submitted to INEC, dismissing claims of millions of registered members as misleading.

According to him, inflated membership claims by APC were intended to create false impressions ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Also speaking, the National Organising Secretary of ADC, Chinedu Idigo, said the party had carefully designed processes to ensure the emergence of competent candidates.

Idigo said the party’s selection process covered candidates for state assemblies, governorship positions, National Assembly seats and the ongoing presidential primary election exercise.

He expressed confidence that the processes established by the party would guarantee the emergence of credible leaders capable of serving Nigerians effectively after the elections.

The organising secretary further confirmed that INEC officials were monitoring the party’s presidential primary election across the federation in compliance with electoral guidelines and regulations.

He said that the party provided INEC with all statutory notices required for effective supervision of congresses and primary elections conducted across various states.

Earlier, the chairman, presidential primary election committee, Chief Ikechi Emenike, announced the commencement of activities for its presidential primary election ahead of the 2027 polls.

Emenike said that the exercise would produce the party’s presidential candidate through a transparent, inclusive and democratic electoral process.

According to him, ADC remains committed to internal democracy at a time democratic values were allegedly declining within Nigeria’s broader political environment and party structures.

He said that the party rejected imposition, consensus manipulation and predetermined outcomes, opting instead for a credible process that guaranteed equal opportunities for qualified aspirants.

Emenike said that ADC was distinguished by having three credible presidential aspirants capable of leading Nigeria through its current economic and political challenges effectively.

“The aspirants include former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, former Rivers Governor Rotimi Amaechi and economist Mohammed Hayatu-Deen,” he said.

Emenike described Atiku as a democrat and nation builder, while Amaechi was credited with supervising major transport infrastructure projects during his tenure as minister.

He also described Hayatu-Deen as one of Nigeria’s leading development economists, businessmen and former chairman of Nigeria Economic Summit Group.

Emenike said that the participation of the three aspirants reflected ADC’s commitment to democracy, dialogue and open contestation of ideas within the party.

He urged party members and stakeholders to ensure only verified figures were counted during the exercise, stressing that the party was committed to transparent electoral processes.(NAN)

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