Dumebi Kachikwu, the presidential candidate of African Democratic Congress in Nigeria’s 2023 presidential election was on Saturday suspended by his party.
The surprise development seems to be fallout of ongoing power play between Ralph Nwosu, the national chairman of ADC and Kachikwu for the control of the party.
The suspension of the presidential candidate was announced a day after he supported calls for resignation of Nwosu as chairman by the state chairpersons of ADC.
Nwosu has occupied the seat of the chairman of the party for 17 years
Announcing the suspension of Kachikwu in a statement on Saturday, Bamidele Ajadi, ADC’s deputy national chairman, said the decision was taken at the party’s national executive committee meeting held on Friday.
According to him, Kachikwu was suspended because he has failed to come up with a strategy for the party’s presidential campaign activities due to commence soon.
He also accused the presidential candidate of making a video to disparage the party.
“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 NWC also noted that since the 9th of June 2022 when he was elected the presidential candidate, he has failed, neglected and/or refused to share with the party any meaningful, constructive or reasonable presidential campaign roadmap for the forthcoming presidential election.
“His negative actions and/or inactions so far, have put in jeopardy the fate and prospects of all our candidates contesting for various offices across the country.
“The committee of the whole house, in a very clear and unequivocal term condemned the said video in its entirety and described it as a piece of badly crafted blackmail and mudslinging, and thereby unanimously recommended his immediate suspension from the party from today, Friday 2nd September, 2022.
“This resolution would be forwarded to the NEC for further actions.”
Kachikwu had declared support for state chairpersons who asked Ralph Nwosu to resign as national chairman of ADC.
Kingsley Ogga, ADC chairman in Kogi State told journalists in Abuja on Friday that for 17 years, Nwosu has been the national chairman of the party.
“We don’t want this party to crumble. They rated us as the third force. But today, the way they are handling this party, they are trying to kill it.
“Go to Kogi State and ask for ADC. We have a sitting House of Reps member. We have been doing well in our federal constituency.”
Kachikwu, in a statement, declare support for the state chairpersons.
“Yes. I am aligned with the position of the state chairmen in insisting that the constitution must be respected,” he said.
