Dumebi Kachikwu, the 2023 presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has rejected the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) decision to recognise David Mark as the party’s national chairman.
On Wednesday, INEC formally recognised the ADC National Working Committee (NWC) led by Mark. But speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, Kachikwu criticised the move, describing it as “irresponsible” and insisting that the commission has no credibility.
“Nigerians as a whole know that the David Mark-led faction of the ADC is on borrowed time,” Kachikwu said. “What we saw from the INEC chairman yesterday was another irresponsible act from the outgoing chairman of INEC.”
He argued that INEC should have respected ongoing court cases related to the party’s leadership crisis, stressing that decisions affecting the ADC should not pre-empt judicial rulings.
“It is a norm that when you have cases in court, you respect those cases and avoid actions that may affect their outcomes,” he said. “The courts are sitting on our matter with David Mark and co next month, and Nigerians will see the rulings after that.”
Kachikwu also accused recycled politicians of contributing to Nigeria’s political and economic decline. He said the coalition backing Mark’s leadership cannot be trusted to rebuild the country.
“If they had leadership we could look to and say these guys did well for Nigeria, Nigerians today would not be complaining,” he said. “The reason why people call this country a failed nation is because these same leaders failed.”
He further alleged that those supporting Mark were desperate to return to political office for personal benefits. “These are people who cannot stay outside political office, who don’t have anything else to do for a living. Their only goal is to return to power to feather their nests and cater to friends and family,” he added.
Asked why he refused to align with Mark’s leadership, Kachikwu said Nigeria’s future cannot be entrusted to “a bunch of former this, former that.”
“In a country of over 200 million people, are former office holders the only ones who can rescue Nigeria? I believe there are capable Nigerians who can save this country,” he declared.
Meanwhile, the ADC leadership has maintained that no court injunction restrains Mark and Rauf Aregbesola from acting as the party’s national chairman and secretary, respectively.
