By: Ganiyu Olayinka
Three aggrieved candidates within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Kebbi State have pushed back against claims that they were sponsored to destabilise the party ahead of its governorship bid led by Abubakar Malami.
The trio of Abubakar Sadiq Sa’adu Fakai, Muhammad Umar and Nafiu Bello Shuwa are currently pursuing legal action over what they describe as their unlawful replacement, after having emerged as candidates through the party’s primary elections.
In a joint statement released on Saturday, the men rejected suggestions that they were being used to stir crisis within the ADC, calling such claims unfounded. They further alleged that certain party members had fabricated affidavits and other documents purporting to show that they had willingly stepped down as candidates.
“For clarification’s sake, we are not fighting Malami, ADC, or anybody, but we remain undeterred in our legal struggle to reclaim our stolen mandates by the alleged forgers in our party, whom we believe are not after the success of our party,” the statement read.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Fakai said accusations that they were acting on someone else’s payroll would not derail their pursuit of justice through the courts. He insisted the three remain legitimate candidates and are simply exercising their right to seek redress through legal and other lawful means.
Fakai went further, describing the alleged document forgery as more than an internal party matter, characterising it instead as a criminal act with legal consequences. He also accused individuals claiming to back Malami and the ADC of stoking division within the party and jeopardising the governorship candidate’s electoral prospects.
The three candidates reiterated their continued loyalty to the ADC and to what they called its lawful and genuine members, while stressing their determination to see their legal challenges through to the end.