Former presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the 2023 general election, Dumebi Kachikwu, has alleged that the faction of the party led by former Senate President, David Mark, is being backed by the presidency to weaken opposition chances ahead of the 2027 elections.
Kachikwu made the claim during a press briefing, where he dismissed suggestions that he was being sponsored by the government, insisting that his political positions are independent.
“I don’t think anybody who knows me or my antecedents will suggest that I’m being bankrolled by the presidency,” he said.
He, however, alleged that there was a covert alignment between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and certain elements within the ADC.
“In my last press briefing, I alluded to the fact that President Tinubu and these geriatrics who claim to be ADC are working in cahoots,” he stated.
Kachikwu questioned the decision of the Mark-led group to align with the ADC despite ongoing legal disputes within the party.
“I asked Nigerians: if David Mark and others could explain why they left other parties without court cases and came to the ADC, which already has multiple court cases. There is something fishy there,” he said.
The former presidential candidate further criticised those accusing him of being sponsored, describing them as individuals struggling to remain politically relevant.
“The men who make such claims are people who don’t have a 9-to-5 job and are trying to restore their personal economies after decades in public office,” he added..
