Former Governor of Kano State and erstwhile Minister of Defence, Sen. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has addressed the brewing crisis within the African Democratic Congress (ADC), confirming that he has commenced “wide-ranging consultations” with the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and other platforms.
In a statement released late Saturday, Kwankwaso sought to clarify his political standing following a wave of media reports suggesting an imminent defection to the NDC alongside other leaders like Peter Obi.
While he stopped short of announcing an official exit, the former governor painted a grim picture of the ADC’s legal survival, noting that the party is currently facing a coordinated onslaught from the courts and the Attorney General of the Federation.
Kwankwaso revealed that the ADC has been forced into a “precarious position” following a string of unfavourable legal developments.
In the statement tagged: “Clarification on My Political Position”, the former Kano State Governor stated, “In light of the misleading narratives in the public domain, I wish to state categorically that no final decision has been taken regarding my political future or that of my political associates.
“The recent Supreme Court judgment, while affirming the legitimacy of the David Mark-led National Working Committee (NWC), also remitted the matter back to the High Court. This has left the party in a precarious position.”
In a move described by Kwankwaso as “strange,” the Attorney General of the Federation has applied to a Federal High Court to deregister the ADC entirely.
“In addition, the Federal High Court has recently ruled to delegitimise the party’s recent convention. The Attorney General of the Federation has also strangely applied to a Federal High Court to deregister the ADC,” he said.
Drawing parallels to his exit from the NNPP, Kwankwaso lamented that “externally influenced legal problems” have once again made his stay in his current party perilous.
Faced with the potential collapse of the ADC platform, Kwankwaso admitted he is exploring new alliances to protect his democratic interests.
Addressing rumours regarding his 2027 presidential bid, Kwankwaso maintained that the ADC has not yet zoned its ticket or selected a candidate. He dismissed speculations that he had declared his intention to run or endorsed any other aspirant as “premature and unfounded”.
He also addressed his conspicuous absence from two recent ADC stakeholders’ meetings, which fuelled defection rumours, attributing it to “unavoidable personal commitments” rather than a snub of the party leadership.
The former Minister of Defence concluded by reminding supporters of his track record as a “committed democrat” who prioritizes party unity over personal ambition.
He cited his support for former President Muhammadu Buhari after the 2014 APC primaries and his role as a campaign coordinator for Atiku Abubakar in 2019 as evidence of his willingness to subordinate his goals for the national interest.
He stated, “On the issue of presidential candidacy, I wish to recall my consistent record as a committed democrat. In the 2014 APC presidential primary, I came second to President Muhammadu Buhari (whom I fully supported to victory), with Atiku Abubakar third, Rochas Okorocha fourth, and the late Sam Nda-Isaiah fifth.
“Similarly, in 2019, I contested the PDP presidential ticket and immediately supported the winner, His Excellency Atiku Abubakar, serving as the campaign’s coordinator in the North. I have always placed national interest and party unity above personal ambition.
“Furthermore, the ADC is yet to zone its presidential ticket or take any decision on a candidate. I have therefore neither declared any intention to run for president nor endorsed any aspirant. All speculations to the contrary are premature and unfounded.”
As the political map for 2027 continues to shift, Kwankwaso’s next move remains the subject of intense speculation, with many expecting his formal move to the NDC to be announced in the coming days.
