By Suzan Edeh, Bauchi
Ahead of the 2027 general elections, internal friction has hit the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as party stalwarts from the North-East geopolitical zone strongly criticised the leadership under former Senate President, David Mark.
In a press statement issued to journalists in Gombe, the group operating under the aegis of the ‘North East ADC Stakeholders labeled the current leadership as weak and incapable of making independent decisions.
The stakeholders expressed deep concerns over escalating internal crises and unresolved disputes, stating that the ADC is currently ill-prepared for the 2027 polls.
They attributed the lack of readiness to the alleged overbearing influence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).
According to the statement signed by the group’s spokesperson, this external pressure has triggered anxiety regarding the party’s fortunes, especially as it grapples with numerous court cases involving the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the party itself, and various
The friction notably centers on Adamawa State, where the stakeholders alleged that Atiku Abubakar influenced the replacement of the party’s legitimate governorship candidate, Omar Suleiman.
The group claimed Suleiman was replaced with Tukur Modibbo, who allegedly finished second in the party’s governorship primary.
Condemning the move, the stakeholders argued there was no justifiable reason to substitute Suleiman, describing him as a competent and experienced leader capable of steering the state forward.
They warned that the leadership was succumbing to pressure to impose unpopular candidates.
The group listed several states currently facing severe setbacks due to legal challenges and unresolved internal disputes, including Sokoto, Imo, Kano, Borno In light of the developments,
The North-East stakeholders urged INEC to thoroughly scrutinise any proposed candidate substitutions in Adamawa State to ensure strict compliance with electoral laws, fairness, and justice.
The group concluded by warning that proceeding with controversial candidate substitutions would deepen the party’s fractures and sabotage its chances in the upcoming elections, noting that voters in Adamawa have multiple viable alternatives if the ADC fails to present a universally accepted candidate
