The African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Edo State has plunged deeper into crisis following the emergence of a new State Executive led by Tony Alike.
Alike was announced as chairman alongside 23 other executive members, despite conflicting claims over the party’s leadership structure in the state.
The announcement was made by the National Collation Chairman from the party’s secretariat, Sem Andrew Uchendu.
The development comes barely 24 hours after a member of the party’s National Executive Committee, Rowland Owie, announced that Nosa Ehima had been elected as the state chairman.
Adding to the confusion, the incumbent chairman, Kennedy Odion, whose tenure is expected to expire on May 19, said he was unaware of any congress conducted in the state.
Speaking before announcing the results, Uchendu said he had spent three days in the state supervising congresses at the unit, ward, local government, and state levels.
He explained that party leaders in the state, led by former national chairman of the All Progressives Congress, John Odigie-Oyegun, agreed on a consensus arrangement for the emergence of the new leadership.
According to him, the process was part of efforts to ensure a “well-structured leadership” for the party in the state.
Addressing journalists after his emergence, Alike said his priority would be to unite aggrieved members and reposition the party.
He disclosed that he had already commenced consultations with party leaders, starting with a visit to Odigie-Oyegun.
“We will leave here and return to our private meeting. We will be coming out with a policy statement in the next few days. But one thing is sure, which is paramount in the mind of every Nigerian. The question is, are we happy the way we are today?
“That is the question, and that is where we are coming up with answers. We are going to mobilise Nigerians to say enough is enough, that this country belongs to everybody. It is not a private estate of an individual or a group of friends.
“When the nation says we are tired of a bad government, the alternative is the opposition.So we will be unveiling how we intend to actualise that in the next few days, weeks, preparatory to the general election which starts in January,”Uchendu noted.
