A former African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential can­didate, Dumebi Kachikwu, has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately clarify the party’s leadership status and stop ignor­ing an alleged backdoor takeover attempt.

“We will make it clear that we are considering all options. All options are on the table. INEC remains the regulator of political parties, the courts are the common man’s last hope, and the Nigerian people are our eyewitnesses to what is going on with the ADC,” the ex-flag bearer stated during a press conference.

He accused certain actors both inside and outside the party of conspiring with INEC officials to appoint interim chairmen without due process, calling it an affront to internal democracy

“A man was appointed as our party’s interim chairman, and he was immediately issued a membership card. How does this make sense in a democracy? “If you want to enter our party, come through the front door, not the back door,” he instructed.

Recounting the timeline of the crisis, he claimed that some state chapter chairmen were un­able to perform their duties for years because “Ralph Umosu, with the active support of some INEC officials, frustrated them.”

According to him, “When their terms were about to expire, they wrote letters, new chairmen were appointed, and instead of INEC upholding the convention, they looked the other way. We now want INEC to tell us wheth­er the party has a chairman or if there is a vacancy. If there is a vacancy, we must call a proper convention right away so that new leadership can emerge.”

He emphasised the ADC’s commitment to inclusivity and transparency, noting that the par­ty’s handshake logo represents peace and unity.

“We welcome people into the party, but we reject desperate hijackers who believe they can sneak in through the back. Let Nigerians understand that our fight is for internal democracy, not selfish ambition,” he added.

In terms of forming alliances ahead of 2027, the former candi­date revealed that he rejected a proposed coalition when it be­came clear that the plan was to sideline the South and recycle old faces.

“I asked one question: Given that President Tinubu, a South­erner, is in his first term, will the coalition guarantee the South the presidential slot?

The immediate response was, “We are reclaiming our power. That was the end of it for me. They want to use us for old games and never block the South again,” he said.

He issued a public challenge, saying, “let this so-called coalition make it clear that their flag bear­er will come from the South, and then we can talk. But they will not because it is all designed to give power to Atiku Abubakar. That is a no-go for me.

Taking aim at Nigeria’s polit­ical elite, he warned citizens not to be misled by the old order’s religious and regional divisions.

“Tinubu and Atiku are not my problems; it is their generation that is my problem. They are an old boys’ club, celebrating each other’s birthdays while Nigerians suffer. “You, ordinary citizens, are the outsiders; they are the insid­ers,” he claimed.

Calling for a more vigilant press, he urged journalists not to misinform the public or minimise the critical issues at hand.