By Ayo Kehinde
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has dismissed as null and void the purported suspension of former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, by a faction of the party in Adamawa State, reaffirming the party’s commitment to due process, internal cohesion, and democratic principles.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, made the clarification in a firm rebuttal during an interview, stressing that those behind the announcement lacked the constitutional authority to sanction high-ranking members of the party.
“There’s nothing to it. It doesn’t make sense. Those claiming to have suspended Atiku and Babachir Lawal do not possess the power to take such action. Their claims carry no weight within the structure of the party”, Abdullahi said.
His remarks come in response to a controversial press conference held in Adamawa, where a factional state chairman, Raji Zumo, announced the suspension of Atiku, Lawal, and the party’s transition committee chairman, Sadiq Ibrahim, over alleged misconduct, including fostering disunity, creating parallel party structures, undermining lawful authority, and disregarding a subsisting court order.
However, the national leadership of the ADC has rejected the move, describing it as procedurally flawed and constitutionally baseless. Party officials insist that disciplinary actions of such magnitude must emanate from duly recognised national organs, in accordance with the party’s constitution.
