The African Democratic Congress (ADC) Governorship Candidates’ Forum on Monday passed a vote of confidence on the party’s Mr Ralph Nwosu-led National Working Committee (NWC).
Sen. Zagi Caleb, Chairman of the forum, who announced this on Monday in Abuja, while speaking with newsmen, said the party had resolved ”to rescue the country from the present socio-economic and political challenges.”
Zagi, who is the ADC Kaduna State governorship candidate, spoke at the end of an emergency closed-door meeting between the party’s NWC and its 28 governorship candidates for the 2023 General Elections.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the forum's position was coming after its National Executive Committee (NEC) extended Nwosu’s tenure by one year last week.
”NEC decision followed attempt by a section of the party’s state chairmen to unseat Nwosu, who argued that the tenure elongation breached the provisions of the party constitution.
”But the 28 governorship candidates insisted that the NEC decision superseded the interest of aggrieved members of the party bent on displacing the Nwosu-led NWC.
“We sat for over two hours and we have agreed generally that the party is supreme, the decision of NEC remains supreme.
“And so, every presidential, Governorship, Senatorial, House of Representatives, or State Assembly candidates must subject themselves to party supremacy.
“We have resolved to keep the party intact. We have chosen this party because of the quality leadership it has,” Zagi said.
He added that ”ADC remains the only party with candidates on a rescue mission,” therefore ”we throw our support behind the NWC and urge every candidate to be loyal to the party.”
He urged party members to remain loyal to the party leadership and follow its instructions and allow its NWC run its affairs and activities in accordance with its laid down manifesto and Constitution.
This, he said, ”was the only way to save the country and rescue the nation from the current challenges.”
He further added that the party’s candidates had resolved to campaign hard in their various states and to ensure that there was no crack within its fold ahead of 2023 General Elections.
Zagi called on the party’s NWC, its NEC and state chairmen to remain focused and ensure the party received the needed necessary support it deserved.
“We must keep our eyes on the ball, remain focused and do what we are out to do so we can rescue the country from the present challenge,” he said.
Earlier, Nwosu, the ADC National Chairman said the meeting was to present certificates of return to the party’s 28 governorship candidates as well as to inaugurate its forum