Veteran journalist and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dele Momodu has defended the party’s presidential primary election against allegations of irregularities.
It was reported that Momodu described the process as fair and called on aggrieved aspirants, Rotimi Amaechi and Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, to allow the exercise to be fully concluded before raising concerns.
His comments came against the backdrop of reports of the early lead of the former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar in the ADC presidential primary.
Atiku was said to have won in more than 20 states but the result has been contested by Amaechi and Hayatu-Deen on the grounds of alleged irregularities.
“It is strange to me that two contestants rejected the process before the election was fully concluded,” Momodu said.
“Before the election was concluded, I find it strange that two of the contestants didn’t wait to write it off,” he said. I looked through the states that have been already collated and declared overnight, and could see a fair pattern.
“I again appeal to Rotimi Amaechi and Muhammad Hayatu-Deen to please cool tempers and allow the process to be concluded before they raise concerns.
The ex-presidential aspirant called on aggrieved aspirants to put party unity first ahead of the 2027 general election.
He warned that internecine struggles could threaten the ADC’s prospect of taking on President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress.
“If they love the party and they love Nigeria and they really want to remove Tinubu, this is not the time for this type of bickering. “That worries me very much,” he said.
Momodu said Atiku’s political experience and network across the country gave him an obvious advantage in the race.
“I never doubted he’s the biggest fish in the race. “Since 1993 when he stepped down for Chief Moshood Abiola in Jos, Atiku has been on the run and has built this nationwide network that will be difficult for any newcomer to build,” he said.
