Uncertainty over Push for Registration of ADA By INEC as Atiku, Amaechi, Other Key Sponsors Join ADC

Chuks Okocha in Abuja  

The push for the registration of the All Democratic Alliance (ADA) by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) may have experienced a setback as the opposition coalition last week pulled out of the process. 

However, the convener of ADA, Dr. Umar Ardo, said that the major challenge of the new party was that it resisted its hijack by some elements.
 Announcing the decision to pull out after a crucial meeting of the national caucus of the opposition group, the spokesman of the opposition coalition and National Publicity Secretary of the African Democratic Party (ADC), Mr. Bolaji Abdullahi, in a press statement, stated that having adopted the ADC as its official political platform for the off-season and general election, the opposition coalition has officially withdrawn from pushing for the registration of ADA.

 According to the ADC spokesman, this decision was a key resolution of the leaders of the coalition at their meeting penultimate held on Thursday, September 25. 
 

The ADC also asked its members – former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general election, Mr. Peter Obi; former Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State and former governor of Sokoto State, Senator Aminu Tambuwal to come on board fully into the ADC.

 Among those present at the meeting were National Chairman of ADC, Senator David Mark; Atiku; National Secretary of ADC, Rauf Aregbesola; el-Rufai; Tambuwal; former Rivers State governor, Chibuike Amaechi, and a host of others. 
Some of the key sponsors of the ADA for the coalition are Chairman of the Registration Committee, Amaechi; Secretary, Dr. Umar Ardo, and Protem Chairman and Secretary of ADA, Chief Akin Ricketts and Hon. Musa Elayo, respectively.

However, Amaechi, Elayo and Ricketts have formally joined the ADC, with Amaechi publicly declaring to contest for the presidency under the party and Elayo appointed as a national executive officer of the party. 
 Also, investigations by THISDAY revealed that Chief Ricketts has also registered with the party at his Ijiman Ward in Yakurr LGA of Cross River State. 
THISDAY gathered that with these developments, there is uncertainty over the push for the registration of the new party.

When contacted on this matter, Ardo stated that the coalition is not made up of only the personalities that joined the ADC but a host of other personalities and groups, such as himself, the League of Northern Democrats, the Nigerian Renaissance Movement, and others. 
He maintained that not all of these groups have moved into the ADC, adding that most of them are still desirous of registering with the ADA. 
“Just because some big names have formally pulled out of the ADA doesn’t necessarily kill the registration process.
 ”The problem is that even before the ADA was registered, some big elements have been trying to hijack it, but some of us are resisting the attempt.
 ”In any case, discussions are still ongoing among the committee members and some coalition leaders for some understanding. I believe in the end, common sense will prevail,” Ardo said.