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Coalition: Crisis Rocks As ADC Chieftain Alleges Plot To Impose Candidates By Godfathers, Cautions Mark
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) is being torn apart following allegations by a prominent chieftain, Salihu Mohammed Lukman, who accused the party’s interim leadership of godfatherism and plots to impose candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Lukman, a former National Vice Chairman (North West) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and ex-Director General of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), made the allegation in a statement titled “ADC and the Prospect of Internal Democracy” released on Tuesday.
The ADC, recently repositioned as a third force, was adopted by a coalition of key opposition leaders—including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; ex-governors Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna) and Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers); and other political heavyweights—as a common platform to challenge the ruling APC in the upcoming 2027 general elections.
As part of the merger arrangement, the party appointed former Senate President David Mark as interim national chairman and former Interior Minister Rauf Aregbesola as interim national secretary.
But Lukman warned that unless urgent steps are taken to guarantee internal democracy, the ADC risks becoming a mirror image of the old parties it seeks to replace.
“The truth is that the negative side of almost all our opposition political leaders is already at play,” Lukman said.
“Many are taking steps to manipulate the process of leadership reformation of the ADC. Loyalists are being promoted in a manner that suggests perhaps the 2027 elections are already won.”
He said the zoning formula for national leadership positions, which was intended to ensure inclusiveness, had been undermined by powerful coalition members who have now positioned themselves as zonal overlords.
“When the national leadership positions of ADC were shared among zones, the coalition leaders—who were merely nominees in the committee that negotiated the arrangement—promoted themselves to become the leaders of their respective zones,” he said.
Lukman expressed concern that this emerging trend could lead to the imposition of candidates at all levels, ignoring competence, public trust, and democratic values.
“The struggle to ensure that loyalists of leaders emerge as leaders of the reformed ADC to some extent disregards the consideration for intellectual capacity, integrity, performance track records, name recognition across all demographics, respect in community and political circles, independent-mindedness, and general acceptability to all or the majority of stakeholders,” Lukman stated.
“We must caution our leaders—Nigerians will not be deceived by any cosmetic design of presenting another party, which is only a duplicated copy of our old parties.”
He challenged the interim leadership under Senator Mark to prove its credibility by resisting undue influence and ensuring a transparent and merit-based internal selection process.
“The first test of Senator Mark’s leadership of the party is the extent to which he can mitigate all these and ensure that ADC is not a party controlled by godfathers. Coalition leaders must not impose surrogates as candidates across the board,” he said.
Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has sentenced the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
Naija News reports that Justice had earlier convicted Kanu on all seven counts levelled against him by the Federal Government.
The judge sentenced Kanu to life imprisonment for count 1, 2, 4,5, and 6.
He also sentenced Kanu to 20 years forcount 3 without option of fine.
The Judge sentenced Kanu to five years in prison on count seven without option of fine.
Justice Omotosho ruled that he should not be kept in Kuje prison. He forfeited Nnamdi Kanu’s radio transmitter and barred him from access to social media.
More are still coming
The Federal Government has urged the Federal High Court in Abuja to impose the death sentence on the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, following his conviction on all seven terrorism counts.
The request was made on Thursday by the FG’s lead counsel, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), shortly after Justice James Omotosho found Kanu guilty of all charges preferred against him.
Awomolo, addressing the court after the verdict, argued that the severity of Kanu’s actions merited the maximum penalty under the law.
The senior lawyer insisted that Kanu committed “many illegalities” and should not be treated with leniency.
Awomolo further reminded the court that four of the seven counts on which Kanu was convicted carry the death sentence under Nigeria’s terrorism laws.
He urged Justice Omotosho to take this into account in determining the appropriate punishment.
“It will not be considered justice that he is isolated and punished lightly in a country where we have Boko Haram, ISWAP, Lakurawa, et cetera,” he argued.
According to the prosecution, Kanu’s actions were as destabilising as those of other violent groups and should be treated with equal seriousness.
Awomolo also urged the judge to ensure that Kanu is kept in a secure correctional facility pending the court’s final pronouncement on sentencing.
He stressed the need to prevent any disruptions or security breaches involving the IPOB leader while the sentencing process is underway.
Kanu was earlier found guilty of inciting violence, ordering attacks on security personnel, calling for killings, and issuing threats capable of terrorising the public, all captured in broadcasts tendered as evidence by the prosecution.
Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has delivered his ruling in the case between the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, and the Federal Government.
Naija News reports that the judgement was given in Nnamdi Kanu’s absence after the judge had ordered security operatives to kick him out of the court over his unruly behaviour.
Nnamdi Kanu had earlier stated that the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja does not have the jurisdiction to try him.
The separatist, who has been in custody since 2021, faced seven terrorism-related charges bordering on alleged incitement, running an unlawful group, and acts threatening national security.
The IPOB leader contended that the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act, under which he is being prosecuted, has been repealed.
He urged the court to strike out the charges, describing them as “disclosing no offence known to law” and therefore invalid.
Kanu also requested that the court nullify the “purported plea of not guilty” entered on his behalf, claiming it was obtained through deception and contrary to a Supreme Court ruling.
He further asked the court to set aside all subsequent proceedings and order his immediate release.
“My contention is very simple: this court lacks jurisdiction to try me,” he said.
Delivering ruling on Thursday, Justice Omotosho ruled that the court has the authority to preside over the Nnamdi Kanu case.
The judge also stated that the matter of extradition has been settled by the Supreme Court, and he ruled against Kanu in this regard.
On the issue of fairness in the hearing for Nnmadi Kanu, Omotosho ruled against the IPOB leader, stating that the court ensured he received a fair hearing.
On the defendant not entering his defence, Justice Omotosho said: “I begged the defendant passionately to enter his defence, but he remained obsolete. That shows that he chose to rest his case on the prosecution. Which is a gamble and a risky action.”
The court found Nnamdi Kanu guilty and convicted him of count 1 in the charges filed against him by the federal government.
The Judge said: “The court will rely on the uncontroverted evidence of the prosecution. This court, therefore, finds that the prosecution has discharged Count 1 beyond reasonable doubt. Consequently, the defendant (Kanu) is hereby convicted in respect of Count 1.”
More judgement is being read and this report will be updated as it comes in…….
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