By Joy Odor
The Democratic Front (TDF) has accused the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) of resorting to blackmail after its interim national Chairman, David Mark, claimed that the President Bola Tinubu administration is using the courts to stop his party.
In a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Monday by its Chairman, Mallam Danjuma Muhammad and Secretary, Chief Wale Adedayo urged ADC members to work on their internal issues rather than looking for whom to blame.
The Group noted that ADC’s leadership crisis and decision to put 310 lawyers on standby confirm fears and desperation within the party.
TDF also questioned why Senator Mark, with his extensive experience in the National Assembly, would lead a party that disregards constitutional principles and internal democracy.
The group advised ADC to conform to the Electoral Act and Constitution rather than blaming others for their problems.
“We recall with dismay that this same group of politicians had accused President Bola of being intolerant of opposition and scheming towards establishing a one-party state.
”Not only was the accusation false, baseless and unfounded, but the same politicians have unwittingly confirmed the President’s tolerance of opposition and disposition towards multi-party democracy when they successfully launched and adopted ADC as their political party without any hindrance or interference.
”Subsequent turn of events further confirmed that the accusation against Tinubu by members of the fragile political coalition, was a smokescreen to deflect public attention from their inability to transform a voluntary association of like minds into a political party, as they jettisoned the registration of All Democratic Alliance (ADA), to join an existing political party,” the group said.
“We have discovered that the Atiku-led coalition failed to conduct a proper check on the party’s legal status before they hurriedly joined. The sudden realisation that it was engrossed in a prolonged legal duel over its leadership, as it was at the time the party was adopted, is sending fears down the spines of Mark and his co-travellers.
So it is not surprising that they have resorted to their usual traits of political scapegoating against the president in a bid to excuse their tardiness.
”The decision to put 310 lawyers on standby confirms the fright and desperation currently rocking the party which informed the unwarranted insinuations against the Tinubu presidency.
”We therefore find it rather disconcerting that Senator Mark, who had the privilege to preside over the Nigerian Senate, and also chaired the National Assembly for 8 years would opt to lead a political party that is in gross contravention of the constitutional principles and ethics of internal democracy in the selection or election of its leadership, “TDF added.
