Former Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal has denied reports of a crisis inside the African Democratic Congress.
He stated that Peter Obi’s and Rabiu Kwankwaso’s recent defections from the party to the National Democratic Congress were the result of personal decisions rather than internal differences.
The defection of the two opposition figures, as well as other federal parliamentarians, has raised concerns that fractures may be appearing in the ADC-led coalition ahead of the 2019 elections.
Tambuwal responded in an interview with Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, saying the exits were not the result of internal party disagreements.
“I do not believe that it was out of any crack. I believe that they wanted to go to another platform for them to possibly test their popularity with the Nigerian people at the general elections.”
The developments triggered suspicions in some political circles that the ADC presidential structure was already slanted in favor of Atiku Abubakar, with analysts claiming that the party’s direction had been determined before the campaign ever began.
In response to the speculation, Tambuwal denied that the ADC was built to support Atiku, saying that neither Obi nor Kwankwaso publicly accused the party of bias.
“I didn’t hear Governor Peter Obi saying so; I didn’t hear Distinguished Rabiu Kwankwaso saying so,” he stated.
He added: “And if it is an assumption of any individual, observer, or public commentator, I believe that with distinguished Senator David Mark on the saddle as chairman of ADC, a level playing field would have been provided.”
Tambuwal also backed former Senate President David Mark’s reputation, claiming that even those who left the coalition could not doubt his fairness.
He further emphasized that no member of the party was barred from making decisions within the ADC.
“And stakeholder involvement is very clear in ADC. Former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, was given an opportunity to bring the National Organizing Secretary of the party.
“Tell me who it is that is at the party that is clearly an Atiku person who is manning either the office of the National Chairman, or the National Secretary, or the Organizing Secretary, or the legal adviser of the party that is there.
“But Peter Obi was given National Organizing Secretary, the heartbeat, the engine room of the party. And he brought the current National Organizing Secretary of the party,” he said.
Earlier on Friday, during a strategic stakeholders’ meeting attended by party loyalists, community leaders, youth representatives, and political associates, Tambuwal handed over the party’s senatorial ticket to former Commissioner for Finance Faruk Malami-Yabo, following days of consultations and disagreements over candidate selection for the 2027 general elections.
