•Alleges caretaker committee constituted was illegal
•Appoints new BoT chairman
Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
The crisis rocking the African Democratic Congress (ADC) got messier yesterday when the Ralph Nwosu-led National Working Committee (NWC) suspended 17 state chairmen and some other members of the party for constituting an interim caretaker committee to pilot the affairs of the party.
He described the caretaker committee constituted as illegal.
The National Executive Committee (NEC) of ADC, of which the state chairmen are members had on Monday constituted an eight-man caretaker committee to pilot the affairs of the party following the expiration of Nwosu-led exco. The NEC had at the weekend announced Nwosu’s suspension.
The newly appointed caretaker committee was chaired by Senator Patricia Akwashiki, who is the current chairman of the Board of Trustees, while Hon. Kennedy Odion is to act as Secretary.
Other members of the new interim national leadership of the ADC include, Ms. Angela Johnson, Prof. Kabiru Dangogo, Manzo Ibrahim, Hon. Lesanmi Omolayo, Hon Kingsley Temitope Ogga and Barr. Emma Dibia as legal Adviser.
But in a counter move, the Nwosu-led NWC party said all members of the, “illegal caretaker committee have been suspended by the party.”
In a statement jointly signed by its National Chairman, Nwosu, and National Secretary, Mr. Said Abdullahi also suspended the former National Vice Chairman, North-east, Alhaji Ibrahim Manzo from the party.
The suspended state chairmen as announced by Nwosu were: Mr. Kingsley Temitope Oggah (Kogi State); Mr. Kennedy Odion (Edo State); Alhaji Auwal Abba Barde (Gombe State); Mr. Leader Sampson (Rivers State); Mr. Johnny Tovie Derek (Bayelsa State); Mr. Elias Adikwu (Benue State); Alhaji Bello Isiyaku (Sokoto State); Mallam Muhammed Khala Jidda (Borno State).
Others were: Mr. Ilesanmi Omolayo Joel (Ekiti State); Mr. Kabiru Hussaini (Jigawa State)
Mr. Patrick Ambut (Kaduna State); Barr. Emmanuel Dibia (Delta State); Clement Ehigiator (FCT); Alhaji Musa Hassan (Niger State); Alaka Godwin William (Nassarawa State); Hon. Samuel Gyang (Plateau State); and Mr. Bala Suffiayanu (Kebbi State).
The party stressed that the replacements of the suspended chairmen would be announced in due course.
The embattled Nwosu-led NWC also announced that the former presidential candidate of the party, Dr. Mani Ahmed has been appointed as the new Board of Trustees (BoT) chairman.
The statement read: “At the emergency NWC and Critical Stakeholders’ Meeting, held at the Global Campus and Transformation Center of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, on Tuesday, 6th September, 2022, the following resolutions were proposed and adopted:
“That Dr. Mani Ibrahim Ahmed, the 2015 Presidential Candidate and 2023 Presidential Aspirant of ADC, has been appointed the new Board of Trustees (BOT) Chairman of the party.
“That Alhaji Ibrahim Manzo, former National Vice Chairman, North East is hereby suspended from the party.
“That due to the anti-party activities, act(s)/conducts and utterances aimed to bring the Party into disrepute, attempts to destabilise our great party and undue negative publicity, and various other activities in contravention of Article 15 of our party constitution, the following state chairmen are hereby suspended from the party.”
The Nwosu faction also announced the expulsion of the former Abia State Chairman, Mr. Don Norman from the party.
The party also urged all Wards, LGAs and States Executives to continue structuring the party at the grassroots for campaign take-off.
It also encouraged all candidates not to be distracted by the rather unfortunate activities of the agents trying to distract the party, but focus on the planning, contact and mobilisation and structuring of their electioneering campaign.
The party also invited all National Assembly (Senate and House of Representatives) Candidates to the party Headquarter for the collection of their certificates of return on Monday, 12th September, 2022.
