2019: Obasanjo’s ADC splits into factions, pulls out of PDP-led coalition

Barely three months after the fusion of Coalition of Nigerian Movement (CNM) and African Democratic Congress (ADC), a faction pulled out on Tuesday, announcing itself as New African Democratic Congress (N-ADC).

Protem National Chairman of the group, Precious Elekima, made the announcement at a news conference in Abuja.

The CNM, founded by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, had in May adopted ADC as its political party.

In July, the ADC joined 36 other opposition parties and Reformed All Progressive Congress (R-APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to form an alliance called Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP).

The parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to contest the 2019 general elections under one platform.

Elekima said the N-ADC withdrew from ADC because it did not want to be a party in CUPP, explaining that ADC leadership joined the alliance without consulting stakeholders.

He said the formation of the group was to keep alive the mission of ADC to free Nigeria from backwardness, which the party (ADC) wanted to truncate by joining the coalition.

He recalled that CNM, which he claimed now had no fewer than five million members across the country, was formed after the publication of the “famous open letter’’ by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in January, 2018.

He said that by joining the alliance, the ADC defied the clarion call by Obasanjo for the rejection of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC).

Elekima said without collecting any money from the former president or any of his associates, Nigerians organised themselves from the wards to state level, toiled and sacrificed towards salvaging the country.

“On May 10, without any form of consultation with the components of the federation, that is the states, the teeming members of CNM fused into ADC as the third-force with the mandate to salvage Nigerians from oppressive leadership.

“These teeming Nigerians believed in the good intentions as set out in the clarion call so meekly embraced by the ADC.

“They gave flesh and blood to the ADC, reinvigorated and rebranded it to aspire as the third-force in the political landscape of the country.

“This again, they did without any sponsorship from the former president or his associates. They invested their time and resources to building the ADC whose star was on the rise.

“Suddenly, without any consultation with the party chairmen and stakeholders in the 36 states and Abuja, the ADC was taken into a place for unholy intimacy with the PDP.

“As if that was a small matter, defectors from the APC were also called in to take part in this unholy political orgy clothed as Memorandum of Understanding for the CUPP on July 16.’’

The N-ADC chairman said with respect to Mr Obasanjo, Nigerians and the international community were not being informed about cleansing in APC and PDP, to certify fit for ADC to be in alliance with them.

According to him, Nigerians cannot be fooled as ADC has become just another vehicle for recirculation of the people that were common problem of the nation.

“Since majority of the members in the ADC never set out to deceive Nigerians, it has become necessary for the sake of these innocent members and the hope held for Nigerians that we step out of the ADC.

“It has become necessary to step out with the mission and mandate of the clarion call and leave behind those leaders who for reasons best known to them have become like those in APC and PDP.

“We are, therefore, happy and proud to announce that these gallant Nigerians who believe in the Third-Force for Nigerians have now constituted themselves out from the former ADC as the New–ADC.

“We call on members of ADC nationwide, the CNM and all progressives to rally round the N-ADC as we set out on a mission to free Nigerians from their slave masters,’’ he said.

Elekima, who was Coordinator of CNM in Rivers, apologised to Nigerians, saying that his group was not part of decision to join CUPP.

He disclosed that the factional group had already written the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to notify it of the formation of N-ADC, with temporary National Secretariat in Maitama, Abuja.

This, he said, was important in order to meet up INEC’s time table for 2019 general elections.

“We will come out with a decision that will be all-embracing and will create a path way for Nigerians to follow.’’

Reacting to the development, National Publicity Secretary of ADC, Anayo Arinze, said that Mr Elekima was not a card-carrying member of ADC, and could therefore, not form faction of the party.

Arinze added that Mr Elekima and his group could not be consulted on the party’s decision because they were not members of ADC.

“Should we go about the streets and be consulting people who are not our members before we make decision as a party?’’ he asked.