By Tom Garba, Yola
The Adamawa State chapter of the is facing fresh internal tension ahead of its April congresses following allegations of a rift involving prominent leaders of the party.
Party insiders claimed that former Vice President allegedly bypassed the party’s North-East National Vice Chairman, , in the submission of a congress committee list for the state.
The development, according to sources within the party, has heightened fears of a possible crisis as preparations intensify for the ward, local government and state congresses scheduled for April.
It was gathered that the former vice president allegedly forwarded a separate list for the congress committees directly to the national leadership of the party under .
A party member, who spoke on condition of anonymity, expressed concern over the alleged move, warning that sidelining the office of the North-East National Vice Chairman could trigger internal conflict within the party.
“I pity my party; we are heading for a disaster. This is like a time bomb that may soon explode in the state. How can the office of the National Vice Chairman be sidelined at a time when the party is still recovering from leadership disputes in the state?” the source said.
According to the source, a memo earlier issued by the party’s National Secretary had directed all National Vice Chairmen to compile and submit the lists of state congress committees within their respective zones.
The source questioned the authority under which the former vice president allegedly compiled and forwarded a separate list without consultation with the zonal leadership.
Another party insider also alleged that the North-East National Vice Chairman was neither consulted nor informed before the submission of the list, describing the action as a violation of due process and established party procedures.
The source insisted that party activities must strictly follow the provisions of the party’s constitution and zonal protocols to avoid deepening internal divisions.
Meanwhile, there are indications that loyalists of Lawal may be exploring alternative political options amid the ongoing dispute.
Sources familiar with the development claimed that discussions had begun with the over the possibility of a mass defection of some party members from the ADC in Adamawa State.
Political observers say such a move could significantly weaken the ADC’s structure in the state and potentially affect its national outlook, given Lawal’s influence in the region, particularly among Christian communities and various ethnic groups in Northern Nigeria.
The forthcoming congresses are expected to focus on party restructuring, confirmation of leadership positions and strategies ahead of future political contests.
However, stakeholders within the party have called for urgent dialogue among key leaders to prevent further fragmentation of the party in the North-East zone.
As of the time of filing this report, neither Atiku Abubakar nor Babachir Lawal had publicly reacted to the allegations, while the national secretariat of the party had also yet to issue an official statement on the matter.
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