ADC State Chairmen Bribed With N20m Each to Resign, Kachikwu Alleges

Eshiorameh Sebastian in Abuja

Dumebi Kachikwu, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, has raised serious concerns about what he describes as politically motivated corruption infiltrating the party. He specifically accused certain opposition coalition members of attempting to bribe state chairpersons to vacate their positions.

Addressing journalists in Abuja on Thursday, Kachikwu warned Nigerians against believing claims that the coalition was genuinely adopting ADC as its platform. “What’s actually happening,” he revealed, “is a plot by a group of desperate political office seekers to hijack the ADC.”

The presidential candidate detailed alarming tactics being employed, stating that coalition politicians are currently “offering some of the state chairmen as much as N20,000,000 to resign their positions, which goes to show that their intentions are not honourable.”

Kachikwu further exposed what he called staged political maneuvers: “This fake coalition is staging events in different parts of the country, where they pay poor Nigerians to say they are decamping from other parties to the ADC.”

Expressing frustration with traditional political strategies, he remarked: “This is the typical strategy of these old politicians, and we have had enough of it. They need to sing a new song.” The ADC flagbearer challenged the group’s long-term plans, posing the question: “If you succeed in paying off all the ADC party officials at state and local government levels to resign, what next?”

“Our constitution still doesn’t allow you to assume those offices. This is the plain and simple truth. Your money will get you nowhere in the ADC.”

Dumebi Kachikwu dismissed claims that he was being funded to disrupt the ongoing unification of patriotic Nigerians under the ADC banner. He expressed dismay over what he described as a calculated campaign of misinformation by individuals posing as a political coalition while actively working to destabilize the party.

Kachikwu emphasized that the motives of recent defectors to the ADC were questionable, drawing a sharp distinction between a genuine political coalition and a coordinated hijacking attempt. He pointed to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s involvement as evidence of hidden agendas in the push to take over the party.

The ADC presidential candidate also criticized Atiku for his role in undermining the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by allegedly abandoning the power rotation principle he once endorsed in 2015. Kachikwu challenged the former vice president to publicly clarify his position on zoning for the 2027 presidency, arguing that such clarity was necessary to validate his professed commitment to rescuing Nigeria and strengthening democracy.

He said: “Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, a man whose antecedents clearly show he doesn’t believe anyone from the southern part of Nigeria is deserving of being president of Nigeria, orchestrated this charade for his personal benefit.

“He almost truncated President Obasanjo’s return for a second term because he believed the seat was his. President Jonathan suffered the same fate, and then, after eight years of late President Buhari’s presidency, the same Atiku believes it was morally right for him to be the presidential flag bearer of the PDP in the last presidential election.

“This was most unjust and unfair and led to the current disintegration of that party. He is now using some charlatans to deceive former governor Peter Obi that only he, Atiku, has what it takes to win an election, because he can get the majority of the North to vote for him.

“This is most uncharitable. If the former Vice President says my assertions are not true and that all he wants is a better Nigeria, I then challenge him today to publicly declare that equity demands that the presidency should stay in the South for another six years.”

He maintained that unless Atiku committed to political equity, he would keep opposing the ADC takeover attempts.

“I want to reiterate that the ADC is not for sale and is not an old people’s home. We are a party that believes Nigeria needs fresh faces, fresh ideals and fresh ideas. This current political war is the war of the old for the old; it is not our fight,” he surmised.