Adamawa ADC supporters protest over alleged plot to replace governorship Candidate

By Yagana Ali, Yola.

Supporters of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Adamawa State have staged a peaceful protest, demanding that the party’s national leadership uphold the outcome of its governorship primary election amid allegations of an attempt to replace the party’s candidate, Ambassador Umar Sulaiman.

The protesters, drawn from different parts of the state, including youth groups, women, party faithful and grassroots mobilizers, converged carrying placards and chanting solidarity songs in support of Ambassador Umar Sulaiman. 

They insisted that the mandate freely given to him by delegates during the party primaries must be respected, warning that any move to substitute him could trigger discontent within the party and weaken its electoral chances ahead of the governorship election.

The demonstration reflected growing concerns among grassroots members, who said they had invested considerable time and effort in building the party’s support base across Adamawa State. They maintained that internal democracy remains the foundation of any credible political party and urged the leadership not to undermine the confidence of loyal members.

Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Modu Umar alleged that some party officials were making moves to replace the candidate democratically elected during the party primaries.

He described the alleged plan as a violation of the wishes of party members and a direct attack on the democratic principles upon which the ADC is built.

“We voted for our candidate during the party primaries, and that decision should be respected. Any attempt to replace him is against the wishes of the people who worked tirelessly for the party at the grassroots,” he said.

Another party member, Aisha Hamidu, appealed to former Vice President and ADC presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, to intervene in what she described as an emerging crisis capable of affecting the party’s unity in Adamawa State.

She urged Atiku and the party’s national leadership to ensure that justice, fairness and due process prevail by protecting the mandate freely given to Ambassador Umar Sulaiman.

“We are calling on Atiku Abubakar to hear the voices of ordinary party members in Adamawa. We believe he is committed to democracy and fairness and will ensure that the will of party members is not ignored,” she said.

Also addressing the gathering, Miss Damasis Yalawa cautioned that replacing the governorship candidate could have serious political consequences for the ADC, warning that such a decision could alienate loyal supporters who have remained committed to the party at the grassroots.

According to her, Ambassador Umar Sulaiman enjoys broad acceptance among party faithful across the state, and any attempt to remove him from the ticket could diminish the party’s chances of winning the governorship election.

“If our candidate is replaced, the party risks losing Adamawa State. That is not healthy for the ADC because those protesting today are the same grassroots politicians who have been working tirelessly to build and strengthen the party across the state,” she said.

The protesters called on the ADC national leadership to demonstrate transparency, fairness and respect for internal democracy by preserving the outcome of the party primaries. 

They stressed that honouring the decision of delegates would strengthen members’ confidence in the party and promote unity as preparations for the elections intensify.

The protesters dispersed peacefully after delivering their message, with no reports of violence or disruption.

As of the time of filing this report, the leadership of the African Democratic Congress had not issued an official response to the allegations raised by the protesters, and the claims had not been independently verified.