Former presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dumebi Kachikwu, has launched a scathing attack on former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, accusing him of attempting to hijack the ADC through a coalition of political allies ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Thursday, Kachikwu strongly condemned what he described as “a fraudulent coalition” seeking to impose Atiku as the party’s presidential candidate. He alleged that the group is using underhanded tactics, including offering state party chairmen as much as ₦20 million to resign their positions.
Kachikwu, who ran for president under the ADC platform in 2023, accused Atiku of having no genuine belief in a southern presidency, despite public posturing.
“This is a man whose antecedents clearly show he doesn’t believe anyone from the southern part of Nigeria deserves to be president,” Kachikwu said. “Atiku has consistently demonstrated that he sees the presidency as his birthright.”
He further claimed that the former Vice President tried to manipulate former Anambra State governor Peter Obi into running as his vice-presidential candidate again, describing those behind the push as “charlatans.”
While denying accusations that he is a spokesperson for President Bola Tinubu, Kachikwu declared: “It would be an honour to serve the president of the largest Black nation on earth, but I am not his spokesperson. I remain committed to defending the integrity of the ADC.”
He described the alleged coalition members as “political jobbers” who have no legitimate ties to the ADC, calling their actions a “rescue mission to revive their personal fortunes, not the nation.”
Kachikwu challenged Atiku to publicly declare that the South deserves to retain the presidency for the sake of national equity. “He will never do it,” he said. “If your rescue mission must be built on fraudulent misrepresentation, it only reveals your true character.”
The former candidate concluded by warning that the ADC is not for sale: “We are not an old people’s home. The ADC is a party for fresh faces, fresh ideas, and a new Nigeria.”
The party has recently faced internal tension following the emergence of a coalition that claims to be steering its direction—a move Kachikwu and other party loyalists have openly rejected.
With the 2027 elections on the horizon, the battle for the soul of the ADC appears to be intensifying.
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