The crisis rocking the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has taken a new dimension as the party’s leadership expelled its 2023 presidential candidate, Dumebi Kachikwu, over alleged anti-party activities.
His expulsion came exactly two weeks after a faction loyal to the ADC long serving national chairman, Ralph Nwosu, announced his suspension.
Kachikwu and at least 27 state chairmen had earlier called for the resignation of Mr Nwosu, given his ‘overstay’ in the top office.
The chairman has spent 17 years on the seat even though the party’s constitution only allows anyone to lead the party for a maximum of eight years.
For attacking the Nwosu-led National Working Committee (NWC), the party said Mr Kachikwu’s attitude is improper for someone who wants to be the president of Nigeria.
“The NWC viewed with great concern the baseless and defamatory video made, published and circulated by Mr Dumebi Kachikwu, which was intended to disparage and impugn the integrity and image of a peaceful and transformation-oriented African Democratic Congress and its national officers,” the Deputy National Chairman (Politics) of the party, Bamidele Ajadi, said in a statement two weeks ago.
Guilty of gross misconduct
The new statement issued on Saturday and signed by Mr Nwosu, said a seven-member disciplinary committee earlier set up found Mr Kachikwu guilty of allegations of gross misconduct, anti-party activities and gross violations of its constitution, amongst others.
The embattled national chairman explained that the disciplinary committee met six times between 8 and 14 September to discuss all allegations levelled against the presidential candidate.
“The panel found Mr Dumebi Kachikwu & others guilty of the allegation levelled against them, subsequently in accordance with article 15 of the party’s constitution recommended that Mr Dumebi Kachikwu & others be expelled from the party.
“The NWC met on the 16th of September 2022 to deliberate on the report & accepted the report of the panel with modification,” he said.
Mr. Kachikwu was expelled along with seven others, namely the Kogi State Chairman of the party, Kingsley Oggah; its state chairman for Edo, Kennedy Odion, Kabiru Hussaini, Alaka William, Bello Isiyaka, Musa Hassan and Clement Ehiator.
The party leadership described the expulsion of the eight persons as a “strategic step to clean its stable and determined to move into reckoning across the country” and urged other members to remain ‘focused’.
Mr Kachikwu could not be reached for comments at the time of filing this report as calls to his mobile telephone failed to connect.
