You joined the wrong ADC - Kachikwu fires coalition members as trouble brews

Dumebi Kachikwu, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the 2023 election, has opposed the adoption of the party by the Atiku Abubakar-led opposition party.

At a stakeholders meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, July 2, 2025, the coalition members announced ADC as the platform to challenge President Bola Tinubu's ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general elections.

The group had earlier appointed former Senate President David Mark as interim National Chairman of the ADC, with Rauf Aregbesola, former Osun State governor, appointed as the interim National Secretary.

Kachikwu opposes the coalition's adoption of ADC

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Reacting to the development, Kachikwu said he watched with amusement as the coalition took over the ADC leadership.

The former presidential flag-bearer asserted that the coalition is dealing with the former leadership of the party led by Ralph Nwosu, whose tenure he said ended on August 21, 2022.

Kachikwu slammed the coalition, claiming that its members represent a dark chapter in Nigeria’s past. However, he advised the group to come through the front door if they truly want to join the party.

“It is with the greatest amusement that I watched the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar-led group announce their takeover of the national leadership of the African Democratic Congress. As is expected, I have been inundated with a lot of calls and messages seeking my reaction to the unfolding dramedy," he said in a statement.

“The facts of the matter are as follows: The Atiku-led group is in some form of alliance with the former leadership of the party led by Ralph Nwosu. The tenure of the Nwosu-led executive lapsed on August 21, 2022, and his continued parade of himself as the chairman of the party was the subject of various litigations in different courts across the country.

“From the foregoing, I want to then pose the following questions: Can you build something on nothing? Can you shave a man’s hair in his absence? Can you enter a man’s house through the back door and declare yourself the landlord? These yesterday’s men who represent a bad chapter in Nigeria’s past have bought bad market from a man who represents a bad chapter in ADC’s past.

“Nigerians have watched in amazement as this group of mostly geriatrics shopped around for a party to prosecute their ‘chopping must continue’ ambition.

“This further cements the opinion most hold that political parties in Nigeria stand for nothing and will fall for anything. They have told us that they are fighting for the rights of ordinary Nigerians and that they are on a rescue mission but what is confusing to the Nigerians they want to rescue is that these men made up of a former vice president, former governors, ministers and political office holders are the same people who have presided over the affairs of this nation for the past four decades.

“We have nothing to show for their decades of leadership other than being seen as a nation divided by tribe and religion and thriving in mediocrity. We are a nation lacking in the basics, whose majority are poor, but here we are watching those who set our nation on fire saying they are the fire brigade.

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“No, you are not; you are a bunch of greedy and selfish old men who believe that political power is your birthright. You stand for nothing other than your interests and will pay any price to hold political office," the statement read partly.