The founder and pioneer National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress, Ralph Nwosu, has dismissed claims that party leaders engaged in power-sharing arrangements while negotiating with emerging political blocs.
NOP NIGERIA reports that Nwosu stated this in an interview with Punch while responding to allegations that some stakeholders were sidelined in ongoing coalition talks.
Reacting to suggestions that figures such as Senator David Mark’s group were favoured over others, Nwosu rejected the notion of any form of political bargaining within the party.
He said, “Sharing what? I have never been a transactional leader. As far as ADC is concerned, as far as this coalition is concerned, nobody did any transaction.”
According to him, party members remain stakeholders irrespective of political alignments.
“We are part of the party, and if by God’s grace, we win the election, we’ll be part of the government. From what we were before, that’s a big plus,” he added.
Nwosu pointed to previous presidential aspirants under the party to reinforce his stance that ADC does not operate on financial inducements or political deals.
He said, “We gave Pat Utomi the party to run for president. Ask him if there was any transaction. Instead, most leaders of the party were contributing to his election.”
He also referenced the involvement of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
“When the former president Obasanjo came, ask him if Chief Nwosu or any executive of the party had come to him to collect a dime. None,” he said.
The ADC founder criticised the growing perception that politics is driven by financial interests, warning that such a mindset is detrimental to national development.
He said, “We’re not into transactions. We are deeply vested in nation-building. But some people can be easily swayed, and they think that everything in politics is about transaction; it’s about money.”
Nwosu warned that unless this approach changes, it would continue to harm the country.
“If we don’t change that, it will continue to hurt this country,” he added.
Reaffirming the party’s ideological foundation, Nwosu described the ADC as a platform rooted in integrity and national interest.
He said, “That is why I said that the ADC is hope built on integrity, and nobody can take that away.”
