Major Crisis Hits ADC In Niger Over Dep Gov Slot – Independent Newspaper Nigeria

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Chinwendu Nnadozie

Major crisis has engulfed African Democratic Congress (ADC), as some founding members in Niger state have resisted the choice of a former Commissioner under the All Progressive Congress (APC) administration, Hon. Mamman Musa Bosso as running mate to the party’s gubernatorial candidate, Mohammed Kpautagi.

The political volcano which erupted in ADC barely twenty-four hours after unveiling of Mamman at the IBB Pen House, Minna led to some members citing betrayal of trust and threatened to dump the party if Mamman is imposed on them by some party elders and those who they accused of decamping from the APC and trying to hijack the party from them.

The crisis may not be unconnected with alleged breach of trust by the gubernatorial candidate, Mohammed Kpautagi, the party chairman and some elders who went behind to present Mamman against initial agreement that the party should have a Christian deputy governorship candidate.

The aggrieved members, mostly from Zone B (Niger East Senatorial district) had perfected plans to address press conference in order to make their displeasure over the choice of Mamman when some party chieftains, including the newly unveiled deputy governorship candidate and the party Chairman, Ahmed El-Waziri rushed to the venue to stop them and appealed for calm.

Daily Independent findings also showed that aggrieved ADC members, not satisfied with recent developments in the affairs of the party as recent moves by the leaders is shrouded in secrecy and that they are not being carried along.

One of the aggrieved founding members told some journalists in confidence that they had planned to address the press on the unfolding drama within the party but that their plans leaked hence they were prevailed upon to drop the idea.

“Someone must have leaked the information about the on-going meeting to them”, adding that Mamman was never among the three names shortlisted for the deputy governorship slot.

The ADC had agreed on three names be submitted for deputy governorship position from Zone B must be Christians and out of the three, one of them scaled through, expressing disgust that, “We were expecting Kpautagi to announce the mame of Bulus Abba but instead what we saw is betrayal”.

“We have held over forty meetings on this Christian deputy governorship slot and we came up with three names and settled for Bulus Abba. I can tell you for free that Mamman Musa was not even part of the three names submitted as candidates for the position”.

“We all agreed that Bulus who is a Christian from Zone B be submitted and unveiled as the Deputy Governorship candidate only for us to hear that the Governorship candidate, Kpautagi and some persons went behind to unveil Mamman as his running mate against what was agreed”.

Other aggrieved members who spoke on the same vein, fuming, said “We will not allow these group of persons to hijack our party. As it is now, we are already making plans to replace the Governorship candidate because obviously he has clearly shown signs of distrust and betrayal, he is not ready to carry everybody along”.

However, after meeting with the aggrieved members for almost five hours, Hon. Mohammad Muktar Ahmed mediator told journalists that a 10-man committee has been set up to address the issues and to come up with its position within one week.

Recall that, the ADC Governorship candidate in Niger state, Mohammed Kpautagi had on Monday unveiled Mamman Musa Bosso declaring preparedness of the party to scuttle the second term plans of Governor Mohammed Umar Bago of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC).

Kpautagi had told party members and supporters that, “this is the time for us to aggressively and honestly pursue our aim to reclaim our dear state from misrule and mismanagement of resources”.