A former presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dumebi Kachikwu, has alleged that the signatures of some state chairmen of the party were forged to facilitate the handover of the party to the opposition coalition leaders led by former vice president Atiku Abubakar.
Kachikwu, who stated this at a press conference in Abuja yesterday, further alleged that the fraud was deliberately perpetuated to enable the coalition leaders hijack the ADC.
He said in order to free the party from all legal encumbrances, such as the former national chairman Ralph Nwosu’s claim to the chairmanship of the party, forged signatures of some state chairmen were presented to the court as terms of settlement which the Court of Appeal adopted as judgement.
He said the terms of settlement was entered as judgement in the Court of Appeal of Nigeria holden at Port Harcourt with Appeal No: CA/PH/225/2023 between the ADC, Chief Ralph Nwosu, Engineer Ede Lawrence as appellants and some of the ADC state chairmen as respondents.
But Kachikwu’s claim was dismissed by the national publicity secretary of the ADC, Malami Bolaji Abdullahi, who asked him to take the matter to the police.
Similarly, the forum of state chairmen of the ADC led by Mr. Kingsley Temitope Ogga, said no signatures were forged.
He added that all chairmen voluntarily signed the settlement agreement.
The ADC has been engulfed in legal controversies since the party was adopted early this year by opposition leaders as the platform to use in unseating President Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The 2023 presidential candidate of ADC said, ‘In their desperation to hijack the ADC they deliberately perpetrated fraud of which I now present evidence to you today.
“I have here before you terms of settlement entered as judgement in the Court of Appeal of Nigeria holden at Port Harcourt with Appeal No: CA/PH/225/2023 between the ADC, Chief Ralph Nwosu, Engineer Ede Lawrence as appellants and some of the ADC state chairmen as respondents.
“What is the fraud? To use the ADC they needed to free it of all legal encumbrances such as those challenging Ralph Nwosu’s fraudulent claim to the chairmanship of the party and so they forged signatures of some of the chairmen who were not interested in the sale of the party and presented it to the court as terms of settlement which the Court of Appeal adopted as judgement.
“I have here copies of said judgement and international passport copies of the chairmen whose signatures were forged, ladies and gentlemen of the press please compare the signature specimens.
“Our lawyers have dispatched petitions to the appropriate law enforcement agencies on this.”
Kachikwu described former national chairman, Okey Ralph Nwosu’s anointing of David Mark as chairman of the ADC after presenting him with a party membership card as comedic.
He said Nwosu had no legal mandate to anoint or appoint a chairman for the party.
He said Mark’s being addressed as chairman of the ADC was constitutionally impossible.
He added that it was puzzling that Mark was again appointed or anointed as chairman of the ADC at a subsequent National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting after he has been addressed as national chairman earlier.
“Here is the copy of a letter written to INEC on the 29th of July, 2025 wherein the same Ralph Nwosu who weeks before this had presented David Mark to the world as the new chairman of our party is still signing his signature as national Chairman of the ADC.
He added, “These men are following the law to correct their illegalities in full view of Nigerians, INEC and the media but nobody is asking questions because we are supposed to be a nation of anything goes.”
Kachikwu also alleged that former president Goodluck Jonathan, has offered to make the former Labour Party Candidate, Peter Obi coordinating Minister of the Economy, if he withdraws from the 2027 race and supports him.
Kachikwu also claimed that Northern interests drafted Jonathan into the race to weaken the South, adding that Obi was also told he can’t get Northern votes because he is an Ibo man.
He said, “In order to weaken the South, they have now drafted in former President Jonathan into the race who is alleged to be offering Peter Obi the position of coordinating Minister of the Economy for him to support his ambition.”
He accused former vice president Atiku Abubakar and a few northern elites of having held political power for decades but did nothing to alleviate the undereducation and attendant impoverishment in northern Nigeria of are arming the “weapons of region, religion, tongue, tribe and poverty as they convince millions of poor Northerners that a southern President Tinubu hates them and is the cause of their poverty.”
He continued, “On a daily basis they are spreading deliberate falsehoods against not only President Tinubu but against all potential southern aspirants for the Office of President. A Peter Obi has been told in very clear terms that he will never get northern votes as an Ibo man and as such he should accept to be Atiku’s running mate.”
He recalled that he had warned that a group of mostly old former political office holders were executing a carefully orchestrated agenda to take over the ADC to prosecute Atiku Abubakar’s presidential ambition come 2027.
He recalled that he also warned that Peter Obi and other presidential hopefuls in this coalition of geriatrics were being duped as Atiku’s men had been carefully positioned to take over the ADC party structure across the country.
“Today I have been proven right as former Governor Obi and his people now realise that this coalition is indeed a one-man power grab.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, a man who claims affinity and friendship with the south does not believe any southerner deserves to be president of Nigeria.
“Former Presidents Obasanjo and Jonathan are alive to attest to this uncomfortable truth,” he said.
Reacting however, the ADC national spokesman Malam Bolaji Abdullahi said Kachikwu should report to the police if he truly has evidence of the forged signatures.
Speaking to LEADERSHIP Weekend, Abdullahi said “On the allegations that signatures were forged, if he has the evidence that he claimed that such a thing happened, he should report to the police.
“He made allegations about regional and ethnic agenda which are absurd as they are dangerous. But this ethnic jingoism and divisive rhetoric do not deserve a response,” he said.
Attempts to get the reaction of the former national chairman was not possible as he refused to reply messages sent to him.
Reacting also, chairman of ADC chairmen Forum Kingsley Ogga, also dismissed Kachikwu claims that signatures of state chairmen were forged while handing over the party to the opposition coalition leaders, Led by Senator David Mark their leader Atiku Abubakar and other leaders.
The Kogi State Chairman of ADC, told LEADERSHIP that the allegation was false, unfounded and laughable.
“The ADC chairmen, voluntarily signed the document. I can tell you categorically that no chairman’s signature was forged.
“I can tell you also that those spreading this unfounded allegations are not chairmen. The chairmen were duly invited and transportation arrangement was made for them, how can anyone one claimed that any signature was forged,” he said.
In a statement he later issued, Ogga reaffirmed the forum’s confidence in the Mark-led ADC.
The statement issued in Lokoja, Kogi State capital, warned the public to be wary of the antics of chairmen of the party in Benue and Nasarawa States, who, according to Ogga, are parading themselves as representing the leadership forum.
Ogga noted that the only member elected on the platform of the party, Hon. Leke Abejide remained suspended indefinitely from the party and that he lacked any locus to act on behalf of the ADC.
“We, members of the Forum of State Chairmen of the ADC in 34 states and the FCT, are using this opportunity to reaffirm our support in the leadership of the party as led by Senator David Mark. We stand by the new NWC led by him and all other members of the national leadership of the ADC.
“We are also aware of the anti-party activities of the chairmen of Nassarawa and Benue state chapters of the party, who were recruited for negative media propaganda against the leadership of our party.
“For the avoidance of doubt, it must be stated that the duo have no locus to act on behalf of the party as the leaders of the forum,” Ogga wrote.
He added that Abejide has in recent times been acting against the interest of the ADC by making efforts surreptitiously to hand the party over to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general election.
“Owing to series of anti-party activities since 2023 and series of attempt to usurp the powers of the national or Kogi State to convoke meetings without due clearance of the relevant organs of the party, it was decided that he be suspended indefinitely and that suspension remains in place until the party decides otherwise,” Ogga stated.
