2027 Election: ADC Chieftain Sends Strong Warning Message to Atiku
- Omar Suleiman asserted his position as ADC's official governorship candidate amid internal party conflict
- The gubernatorial hopeful sought a court injunction to protect primary election results from potential alterations
- The dispute highlights broader issues of democratic integrity and party member authority ahead of the 2027 elections
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Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over nine years of experience covering politics, elections, public affairs, and governance in Nigeria and Africa.
Yola, Adamawa state - The political crisis rocking the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Adamawa state has deepened after the party’s governorship candidate, Omar Suleiman, rejected a reported move by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to present Tukur Modibbo as the party’s candidate for the 2027 governorship election.
Suleiman made his position known on Friday, August 28, in a strongly worded statement titled 'The People’s Mandate Cannot Be Rewritten', in which he insisted that he remains the duly elected governorship candidate of the ADC in Adamawa state. The statement was made available to Legit.ng.
The development comes amid growing political activity within the ADC ahead of the 2027 general elections and an apparent dispute over who should fly the party’s governorship ticket in the state.
Source: Facebook
Omar Suleiman: I remain ADC’s candidate
Reacting to the reported presentation of Modibbo as the ADC governorship candidate, Suleiman said the party’s primary election had already produced a winner.
“Let me therefore state clearly and unequivocally: I remain the duly elected governorship candidate of the ADC in Adamawa state,” he said.
According to him, the primary was conducted under the supervision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and witnessed by party members and members of the public.
He said he emerged victorious at the exercise, while Modibbo came second.
Suleiman added that, following his victory, his name was submitted to INEC as the party’s governorship candidate.
ADC candidate heads to court
Suleiman disclosed that he had approached the Federal High Court over what he described as a possible attempt to alter the outcome of the primary and replace his name.
He said he sought an injunction restraining INEC from accepting any substitution of his name by the party or any individual.
“I sought from the court an injunction restraining INEC from accepting any substitution of my name by the party or any person,” he said.
The governorship candidate further stated that the relevant court processes had been served on INEC, as well as the national and state structures of the ADC.
He also claimed that Atiku had been formally briefed about the legal action.
‘Nobody can rewrite primary election result’
Suleiman framed the dispute as a broader question about the sanctity of democratic processes rather than a matter of personal political ambition.
“This is not about my personal ambition. It is about the sanctity of our democratic process,” he said.
He argued that no individual should have the authority to overturn the outcome of a primary election after party members had exercised their votes.
“Until the court determines otherwise, no individual, regardless of his position, influence or stature, has the legal or moral authority to rewrite the result of a primary election or substitute his personal preference for the expressed will of party members,” Suleiman said.
His comments appear aimed at the reported intervention by Atiku, who is a key leader of the ADC.
Source: Original
Suleiman asks Atiku to withdraw reported move
The Adamawa ADC candidate also directly appealed to Atiku to withdraw what he described as the reported move to present Modibbo as the party’s candidate.
“I therefore respectfully but firmly call on Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to withdraw the said post and refrain from any action capable of undermining the lawful process already undertaken by the party and that is currently before the court,” he said.
Suleiman said political leadership required restraint, fairness and respect for due process.
He maintained that the mandate belonged to the party members who voted and could not simply be appropriated by an individual.
Appeals for calm ahead of 2027 election
Furthermore, Suleiman called on ADC members, his supporters in Adamawa state and the wider Nigerian public to remain calm and law-abiding as the dispute proceeds through the legal process.
He said his camp would continue to defend the mandate through lawful and democratic means.
“Democracy means that the people choose, and that their choice must be respected. Adamawa ADC members have made their choice; it is left for our political leaders to respect it or disregard it,” he said.
The dispute now places the ADC’s Adamawa governorship ticket at the centre of an unfolding political and legal battle ahead of the 2027 elections.
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Atiku told to step down
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that a senior official of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) publicly urged Atiku to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race and throw his weight behind NDC candidate Peter Obi.
Theo Abu Agada, the party's director of new media and strategic communications, made the call in a post on X.
Source: Legit.ng
Ridwan Adeola Yusuf (Current Affairs Editor) Ridwan Adeola Yusuf is a content writer with more than nine years of experience, He is also a Current Affairs Editor at Legit.ng. He holds a Higher National Diploma in Mass Communication from the Polytechnic Ibadan, Oyo State (2014). Ridwan previously worked at Africa Check, contributing to fact-checking research works within the organisation. He is an active member of the Academic Excellence Initiative (AEI). In March 2024, Ridwan completed the full Google News Initiative Lab workshop and his effort was recognised with a Certificate of Completion. Email: ridwan.adeola@corp.legit.ng.
Obidah Fwa (Adamawa State Correspondent) Adamawa's regional correspondent, Obidah Acheli Fwa, is a trained journalist with over five years of experience in the industry. She graduated from the University of Maiduguri (2022) and has earned numerous international certifications, including leadership training from Harvard Business School. Contact her at obidahfwa@gmail.com or 09033673803.
