...Says divisive comments injurious to party
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has warned supporters of any of its presidential aspirants against the use of divisive comments that may likely impinge on the image or character of any of the aspirants.
The ADC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, at an interaction on X space on Saturday, said those attacking any of the presidential aspirants are indirectly working for the All Progressives Congress and the re-election of President Bola Tinubu.
“Saying it is either this candidate or nothing is not helpful because getting the ticket alone means nothing. What is important is winning the election, and we cannot carry this divisiveness and expect to win,” he said.
The party spokesperson disclosed that he had engagements with former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, former Labour Party candidate in the 2023 election, Mr Peter Obi, the former governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi as well as former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, on the need to strengthen unity, focus and shared commitment that would guarantee victory for the ADC in the forthcoming general elections.
“We believe that all our aspirants are eminently qualified, and vilifying anybody or any region is not helpful and will make it more difficult.
“We are going to commence the process of strengthening and having our leaders speak unity amongst themselves.
“We are going to ignore people creating exceptionality, and we are going to focus on what we are doing because we want to win these elections.
“Those shouting Peter Obi or nothing are equally not helping him. They are preaching division, and they are not selling him.
“They are not providing the room for people to support him from other places. They should stop making other people take hard stances because everyone needs to be on board for us to win this election.
“Our leaders are all aware of the task ahead, and everyone of them is committed to ensuring that we win this election,” Abdullahi stated.
He however, said bringing the 2027 general elections forward, as canvassed by some people, would be a double-edged sword for the ADC.
Said Mallam Abdhllahi, “whether the elections take place this year or next year, it will be double work for us and also work against us.
“It will work against us because, as an opposition, we need time to heal wounds after our primaries, because we cannot afford to go into a bruised primaries and quickly put ourselves together for the elections. So on that note, we prefer next year.
“On the other hand, holding an election this year, the advantage we will have is that people are already tired of this administration.
“But in all of these, we are not in a position to decide when that election should be held.”
The party spokesman stated that the ADC is taking the forthcoming Area Council elections in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), seriously as it would use the elections to make a statement ahead of the 2027 general elections.
