• Shun ADC coalition, Saraki tells PDP members
• No vacancy in Aso Rock, says Yilwatda
Leading member of the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC), Salihu Lukman, has alleged that the top echelon of the party was planning to impose their preferred candidates for various elective seats on the party in 2027.
This was as the former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, urged members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State to shun overtures from ADC.
Meanwhile, the National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof Nentawe Yilwatda, ruled out the possibility of the opposition unseating President Bola Tinubu.
In a statement titled: ‘ADC and the Prospect of Internal Democracy’, yesterday, Lukman called on the Sen David Mark-led leadership of the party to guard against the ugly trend.
Lukman, who was Director-General of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), claimed that when the national leadership positions of ADC were shared among zones, coalition leaders who were only nominees on the committee that negotiated the sharing arrangement promoted themselves to become the leaders of their zones.
He added: “The truth is that the negative side of almost all our opposition political leaders is already at play. Many are taking steps to manipulate the process of leadership reformation of the ADC. Loyalists are being promoted in a manner that suggests, perhaps, the 2027 elections are already won.”
However, Lukman expressed confidence that ADC can become the envisioned democratic party.
Addressing PDP members from the Kwara North and South senatorial districts at a critical stakeholders’ meeting in Ilorin, yesterday, Saraki urged them to remain steadfast and loyal to the PDP.
On the essence of the meeting, Saraki described himself as an errand boy called back home to render stewardship.
According to him, the meeting was to update the politicians on the progress so far made by the party’s reconciliatory committee, which he headed; progress on voters’ registration and revalidation by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as well as his personal efforts at lifting the party to its present height.
Listing his other reasons for the meeting, Saraki informed that INEC’s portal would open for revalidation as well as registration for new voters.
He told the congregation the essence of the exercise he described as the only tool to win back the state in 2027, adding: “I am also home to appreciate your steadfastness and loyalty.”
The party’s state Publicity Secretary, Olusegun Adewara, also confirmed to newsmen that his leader was in the state to interface with the PDP family on the PDP scheduled National Congress in Oyo State.
Addressing hundreds of supporters of the party under the aegis of the APC league of Professionals on a solidarity visit at the national secretariat of the party, yesterday, in Abuja, Yilwatda referred to the gains so far recorded under the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Tinubu-led administration as a basis for his assertion.
The Plateau-born politician assured that the party would ensure the victory of all the party’s candidates angling for governorship and legislative seats across the country.
Yilwatda, who described himself as the bridge between the old and the young, particularly cited the student loans and several empowerment programmes being undertaken by the Tinubu administration, which impacted positively on the citizenry.
