Headline

Okorocha’s Party Rejects Buhari, Adopts Atiku as Presidential Candidate

Published

7 years ago

January 15, 2019

Eric

The Action Alliance (AA), a party formed by Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State 14 years ago, has adopted Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party as its presidential candidate in the February 16 election.

The national chairman of the party, Kenneth Udeze, disclosed this at a press conference in Abuja on Monday.

“We are for Atiku/Obi leadership and we are glad to work with all believers of true federalism and efficient administration of governance at all levels to accomplish this as we approach the forthcoming elections,” Mr Udeze said.

“The National Executives Committee (NEC) of our party are on the same page concerning our support for Atiku, same with all our state chapters in this matter.

“We hereby restate out position through this medium that AA as a certified and active member of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) have not for a moment reconsidered or wished to alter that position.

“For your information, AA moved the motion for the adoption of Atiku as the Presidential Candidate of CUPP, and we are on it to the end,” he said.

The national chairman said the support for Mr Abubakar and his running mate, Peter Obi, was a support for the growth of the country’s democracy and the required restructuring of the country.

Mr Okorocha formed the AA in 2005 and planned to run for president on its platform in the 2007 elections.

He was a founding member of the PDP on whose platform he ran for the governorship primary in Imo State in 1999 but lost to Achike Udenwa who flew the flag of the party.

He later dumped the PDP for the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) where he was a presidential aspirant in 2003.

After a few years in ANPP, Mr Okorocha floated the AA where he hoped to actualise his presidential ambition, but in a dramatic move abandoned the new party to return to the PDP.

While in PDP, he showed interest in the 2007 presidential race and ran for the primary. He emerged runner up to the winner, former President Umaru Yar’Adua.

In September 2007, Mr Okorocha unsuccessfully aspired to become the national chairman of the then ruling party.

He later defected to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) on whose platform he ran for governor in Imo State in 2011 and won, beating the incumbent, Ikedi Ohakim of the PDP.

Ahead of the 2015 election, the governor again dumped APGA for the newly-formed All Progressives Congress (APC) following the successful merger of three other opposition parties and a section of APGA which he led.

In APC, he also attempted to become its presidential candidate but was beaten alongside others by President Muhamadu Buhari at the party’s primary in Lagos in 2014. Mr Okorocha came a distant fourth having mustered only 624 votes.

While Mr Okorocha sojourned in PDP and APGA he managed to keep AA afloat and the party became handy.

When APC refused to name his son in-law, Uche Nwosu, its governorship candidate for the March 2 election, Mr Nwosu moved to AA where, without contest, he was accepted and adopted as its flag bearer in the March 2 election.

The APC snub has pitted the governor against the national leadership of the ruling party with both sides often exchanging verbal punches in the past months.

Mr Okorocha, who is the candidate of the APC for the Imo West senatorial District, is believed to have facilitated Mr Nwosu’s defection to AA.

While the spat with the leadership of APC lasted, the governor repeatedly said Mr Nwosu would run on the platform of another party if he was not offered the APC ticket.

On Saturday, Mr Okorocha, at the APC’s South East women and youth rally in Owerri, the state capital, clashed with the First Lady, Aisha Buhari, as both canvassed votes for different governorship candidates.

While the governor rooted for his son-in-law, Mrs Buhari, represented by Dolapo Osinbajo, wife of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, canvassed support for the APC candidate, Hope Uzodinma, and other candidates of the party in the general elections.

“A vote for Buhari is a vote for progress. APC has done well and we must all support all APC candidates,” the first lady said.

“I am happy with the crowd we saw today. It shows that Imo is APC and I want to urge all youth not to fight, avoid any form of crisis because President Buhari is a peaceful man. From what we have seen today President Buhari has won the South East the same way all our APC candidates have won.”

But when he rose to speak at the rally, which had Mr Uzodinma in attendance, Mr Okorocha vowed that nothing would stop Mr Nwosu from succeeding him as governor, come May 29.

He said, “Let me say this Madam First Lady, this time around we are not here to ask you to campaign for Buhari. What my wife has done is to tell you that Buhari is on ground.

“Imo victory for Buhari is designed, sealed. In Imo State, we have 47 political parties and one of the perfect alliances is Action Alliance led by Uche Nwosu.

“Nwosu is APC in spirit. APC owes Imo an apology because of the injustice meted to Imo people. In Imo State, Nwosu will win Imo State. It is not anti-party. We refused imposition in Imo State,” he said.

At Monday’s press conference, Mr Udeze said Mr Nwosu still remained the governorship candidate of AA in lmo State, adding that he (Nwosu) was the one running for the election under the party, not Mr Okorocha.

“We shall do our best to deliver him, as he still remains the candidate to beat among all the gubernatorial candidates,” he said.

“On this note, let me warn all our members in Nigeria, and the lmo State Chapter, in particular that we don’t need any infraction in our party (and) in fact there is no room for that.

“It is our unshakable/unfailing resolve to work for the emergence of Atiku/Obi, in the presidential election, and that we must not only be seen to be doing, but to truly do.

“I will not hesitate to invoke from relevant sections of our Party Constitution to deal with erring members no matter how highly placed, as AA constitution which I swore to protect remains supremely sacrosanct. Please be warned,” he said.

It is not however clear if it was Mr Okorocha and his supporters, who are backing Mr Buhari for the February election Mr Udeze referred to as “erring members.”

Mr Udeze could not be reached for comments as he did not respond to repeated calls from this reporter on Tuesday morning.

When contacted, Sam Onwuemedo, media aide to Mr Okorocha, said his principal was now a member of the APC and would not comment on the adoption of Mr Abubakar.

When reminded that Mr Okorocha floated the AA in 2005, Mr Onwuemedo said the only link currently between the governor and AA was that his son-in-law was running for governor on the party’s platform.

Premium Times

Headline

Amid Denials, ADC Reportedly Secures Rainbow Event Centre As Venue for National Convention

Published

7 hours ago

April 13, 2026

Eric

Baring any last minute change, the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) under Senator David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola as National chairman and National Secretary respectively will hold the party’s National convention at the National Rainbow Event Centre in Garki on Tuesday, 14 April 2026.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has being denied two venues without any cogent reasons despite early arrangements, according to sources.

First, it was alleged that the Abuja Transcorp Hilton Hotels, which was initially approached, turned down the ADC request to use it’s facility.

The ADC, having sensed sabotage, has kept the Rainbow Event Center under rap as it’s definite venue.

The last National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party was held at the same venue.

Located adjacent the Nigerian Police Force Headquarters, the event centre will host the second NEC meeting of the ADC and it’s forthcoming national convention.

According to The Guardian’ report, the ADC leadership has communicated the venue to state chapters with the caveat not to escalate it.

The ADC is in a battle of survival against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and has approached the Supreme Court for intervention.

The INEC national chairman Prof Joash Amupitan has suspended recognition of the David Mark-led ADC rendering a leadership vacuum in the party.

INEC said it’s decision was on the basis of an Appeal Court pronouncement that ordered statusquo ante-bellum be maintained.

Reports say that why the venue is being quietly decorated moderately for the event, the ADC intends to fully move in the early hours of Tuesday.

The Guardian

Headline

Shettima Lacks Respect, I Won’t Engage Him, Atiku Responds to VP’s Challenge

Published

8 hours ago

April 13, 2026

Eric

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has hit back at incumbent Vice President Kashim Shettima over the latter’s poser over achievements in office, saying he won’t take the challenge because Shettima was disrespectful.

Shettima had reportedly challenged Atiku to provide details of eight projects he executed for the development of Northern Nigeria during his tenure as vice president for eight years, as well as name eight individuals he empowered while in office.

But, speaking in an interview with GTA Hausa podcast, Atiku said he would not engage the vice president on the matter.

“I will not respond to Kashim Shettima because he is disrespectful. I am older than him and I have more experience in governance than he does, so I will not respond to him,” he said.

The former vice president further argued that cultural values in Northern Nigeria discourage younger individuals from publicly challenging their elders in such a manner.

“It is not part of our tradition in the North to disrespect elders. You cannot look at someone who is above you in both age and accomplishments and start taunting him. That is not our tradition, so I won’t engage with him,” Atiku emphasised.

Headline

2027: ADC Leaders Plan Massive Coalition Against APC, Tinubu

Published

11 hours ago

April 13, 2026

Eric

There are indications that the ongoing dispute in the leadership of African Democratic Congress (ADC) may lead to the formation of a 10-party coalition, far bigger than what was initially envisaged, reports quoting sources close to the opposition have said.

The Senator David Mark-led leadership of the ADC was removed from the portal of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on account of what the election umpire said was its interpretation of the ruling of the Court of Appeal, which directed it to maintain status quo ante bellum in a suit involving the Mark-led executive and Nasiru Bala Gombe, a claimant to the national chairmanship seat of the party.

While Senator Mark-led team has argued that the said Bala Gombe lacks the locus standi to institute the suit or lay claim to the party’s chairmanship seat, having resigned his position in May 2025, INEC insisted it would no longer recognise either of the parties in the ADC.

Following the imbroglio, a source, however, said that those pushing the ADC might end up leading it to a bigger coalition, as the development has opened the eyes of many opposition leaders to the possibility of a broader coalition.

Last week, leaders of the ADC engaged a group of leaders from the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), while it also engaged with leaders of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), aside from what was called ongoing cross-party discussions with the newly formed National Democratic Congress (NDC).

“What we are seeing is that the loss of ADC on one hand could be the gain of the opposition in this country. What those fighting the ADC don’t know is that you cannot keep the people silent when they are determined to exercise their rights of association. The ADC will be on the ballot in 2027 with a coalition bigger than earlier envisaged,” a source in the know stated.

The source stated that already, the ADC coalition looks good to benefit from the travails of the Tanimu Turaki-led PDP, as well as the resolve of members of other parties whose leaders believe they can benefit from a broad-based coalition in 2027.

It has earlier been reported that the attempt by the leaders of the ADC to rally a strong party behind the possible choice of former President Goodluck Jonathan or in the alternative, a Peter Obi/Rabiu Kwankwaso presidential ticket, is upsetting the ruling party, whose strategists were said to have activated cells of internal opposition within the emerging coalition.

A leader of the ADC, however, said that those pursuing the coalition party are surely pushing it into better things. The way things are going, we may end up with at least a 10-party coalition. That would be bigger than what we initially set out to do,” the source stated, adding that such a development would amount to a masterstroke against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which he said had chosen to interpret the court ruling awkwardly.