A promoter of the All Democratic Alliance, ADA, Umar Ardo, has detailed the roles allegedly played by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi in the party’s registration process.
Ardo spoke on Wednesday while fielding questions on The Morning Show, a programme on Arise Television.
He said Amaechi chaired the committee set up to process ADA’s registration, while Atiku nominated a representative who served in the committee.
Ardo added that he personally served as secretary of the committee, while Amaechi acted as chairman.
According to him, the committee agreed on the plan and subsequently submitted an application for ADA’s registration to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
Ardo also claimed that the idea to register ADA originated from him and that he strongly pushed it within the opposition coalition.
He, however, said the situation changed when members of the coalition reportedly lost interest in the new party. Ardo alleged that Amaechi later aligned with the African Democratic Congress, ADC, after indicating interest in contesting the presidency on its platform.
Despite their departure, Ardo said ADA promoters proceeded to substitute the affected committee members and resubmitted the necessary documents.
Ardo said: “Who were those in it? Rotimi Amaechi, who nominated one of his guys as chairman. Then former Vice President Atiku, who nominated one of his people as secretary in our committee. I was the secretary of that committee and Rotimi Amaechi was the chairman of that committee. We agreed, and then we moved in and made the application.
“And I want you to know that the idea of the registration of the ADA was mine, and I pushed it very forcefully, you know, to the to the coalition.
“So when the coalition came and said they are no longer interested in it, Amaechi moved in. And when I said he was going to contest for President in ADC, then the chairman himself went to register in ADC in his own hometown in Cross River state. Then the Secretary was appointed, not only moved to the ADC, but he was also appointed as a deputy national chairman (North central- diaspora).
“So just because these people have moved out, that shouldn’t kill the registration of the ADA. We now quickly met and then made substitution and submitted.
“They said they were going, now they came back that they want to join the ADA again in order to forestall, you know, an early judgment by the court.”
How Atiku, Amaechi participated in registration of ADA – Umar Ardo
