ADC Leadership Faces “Sponsored” Attacks, Says Abdullahi

The National Publicity Secretary of the African Democratic Congress, Bolaji Abdullahi, has said criticising the party’s leadership has become a lucrative venture for some individuals.

Abdullahi, in an interview with Sunday PUNCH, said the party would resist every form of “sponsored attacks against it,” noting that the task of sweeping away the APC-led government in 2027 must be done.

The ADC chieftain was reacting to a series of attacks against the party since it was unveiled on July 1 as a platform for the opposition coalition to challenge President Tinubu in 2027, with the emergence of former Senate President, David Mark, as the National Chairman.

Some state chairmen of the party had rejected Mark-led leadership, criticising the manner in which he and his interim executive took over the administration of the party.

Abdullahi accused those behind the attacks of either being sponsored or seeking attention for financial gain.

Speaking with Sunday PUNCH, Abdullahi said, “All these things you see have become an enterprise. They hold press conferences to say they are challenging the leadership of David Mark. This has become a good business for them. They are wasting their resources and their time.

“We know the people behind this. It is either that some people are sponsoring them, or they are holding the press conferences to attract attention from those who will give them money. For us, we are not bothered about this. They should continue to entertain themselves.”

In a separate interview, another ADC chieftain who craved anonymity because he does not have the authourisation of the party to speak, said the APC was scared of former Vice President Atiku and has vowed to sponsor all manner of agitations against the party.

He said, “The only person they are scared of is Atiku Abubakar. They don’t want him on the ballot. That is why they are doing everything to infiltrate the ranks of the ADC and cause unnecessary tension within the party.

“What Tinubu and his supporters want is a free ride to the 2027 election, and that is why they are scared of Atiku. What they don’t know is that the elections will be between Nigerians and the APC. Having gone through avoidable pains in the past two years, Nigerians know exactly what they want in 2027, and no amount of intimidation can make them back out of their resolve to vote out the incompetent APC.”

He noted that the Presidency did not see the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, as a threat, even as he noted that with the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, wielding considerable influence in the PDP, Obi might find it difficult to clinch the party’s ticket.

“They want Peter Obi to run and other southerners because they know that Bola Tinubu will be the strongest candidate of them all, if Atiku is not on the ballot. They are wooing Peter Obi to PDP, but there is no way the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, will allow Obi to have the party’s ticket,” he added.

However, a former National Secretary of the PDP, Ibrahim Tsauri, said claims by the ADC that the ruling party was sowing seeds of discord in its fold couldn’t be entirely dismissed.

He said, “Ordinarily, I won’t comment on this because I am not a member of ADC. I remain a member of the PDP, but the truth is, there is a sense in what the ADC is saying. The ruling party is interested in causing problems within the ranks of the opposition, and the earlier we realise this, the better.

“Unfortunately, some of our leaders left us, but I want to appeal to them to return. If the PDP sorts itself out and does the right thing, I am sure many of these big shots in the ADC will return to our fold. ADC is a force to be reckoned with. So, no one will be surprised if the government of the day is going all out to cause problems there, just to destabilise the party ahead of the 2027 election.

“There are indications that the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, is heading for the ADC. If that happens, you cannot ignore such a party. Do not forget that they already have the former Senate President, Sen David Mark. These are very experienced and seasoned politicians you cannot ignore.”