The Presidential Primaries Election Committee of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has assured that there would be no manipulation of figures to influence the outcome of the election.
Three aspirants, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, and former Chairman of the Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG), Mohammed Hayatu-Deen are contesting the primaries.
The Chairman of the ADC Presidential Primaries Election Committee, Chief Ikechi Emenike, at a press conference in Abuja on Monday, promised that the committee would not inflate the party’s registration numbers to deceive Nigerians.
“And when counting the votes, we will not jump from 3 to 30 or from 500 to 1,000,” Chief Emenike stated, adding, “We know how to count properly and arithmetically.”
He said the electoral committee understands the enormity of the task before it and therefore assured all aspirants of a free, fair, transparent, and credible exercise that would not only strengthen internal democracy within the party but also deepen democratic culture in Nigeria as a whole.
The chairman stated that the ADC remains resolute in its commitment to building a nation anchored on justice, equity, competence, accountability, inclusivity, and the genuine will of the people.
“We believe that democracy must begin within political parties before it can truly flourish in governance,” he added.
Emenike stated that at a time when democratic values are increasingly being degraded within the nation’s political landscape, the ADC stands out as a political party in Nigeria demonstrating commitment to transparent, inclusive, and democratic principles in the selection of its presidential candidate.
According to him, the party has embraced a credible democratic process that gives every qualified aspirant an equal opportunity to present their vision and earn the support of party members across the country.
He said the three aspirants are capable and qualified to pilot the affairs of the country at this most difficult time, describing them as genuine presidential contenders, “not some shadowy candidate contrived to confer legitimacy on a process where one man contested against himself.”
“Nigeria deserves a democratic example, and the ADC is proud to lead that example.”
ADC National Organising Secretary, Prince Chinedu Idigo, disclosed that the process was meticulously followed to select the best candidates who can win elections for the party.
“The process we have put in place is making sure that the best is elected,” he said.
He stated that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had been given the required notice to monitor the ADC primaries, adding that the exercise was being supervised by INEC across the federation.
“We are not like the other side. We are ADC,” he added.
