2027: I was under pressure to tilt Presidential ticket, says Mark
By Mohammed Sule
The National chairman of the African Democratic Congress ( ADC), David Mark, Thursday, said he came under pressure to tilt the party’s presidential ticket in favour of a particular candidate for the 2027 poll.
Mark, who stated this, while speaking, shortly after the declaration of former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar,as the ADC presidential candidate, said he resisted the pressure because the coalition party is not a platform where a few decide for the party.
The ADC chairman urged all the aspirants in the presidential primary to close ranks in the interest of the country. He noted that while everyone of them is eminently qualified to be the party’s candidate for the 2027 general election, they must recognize that only one person can be the candidate..
He said: “In the last several weeks, I have come under intense pressure from different quarters. Pressure to choose. Pressure to endorse. Pressure to tilt the scale one way or another.
“But I insisted that the African Democratic Congress is not that kind of political party. We are not a party where one individual—or a few powerful interests—sit in a room and decide the presidential candidate before members get the opportunity to vote.
“We are a party committed to the highest principles of democratic practice. And with this primary election, we have demonstrated exactly that. We did not work towards a predetermined outcome. We allowed a free contest. We allowed our members across Nigeria to make their choice.”
Mark added “I must admit that this process has not been easy. When the Electoral Act imposed the option of direct primaries, we understood immediately the enormous logistical and administrative burden involved. Coordinating an exercise across 36 states and the FCT was not going to be a simple undertaking.
“There were difficulties and challenges; especially given that we were attempting an assignment of this magnitude for the first time. But despite the challenges, I am proud to say that overall, we have conducted a process that was free, fair, credible, and worthy of democratic standards.”
Furthermore, he noted that “this primary is not simply about selecting a candidate. It is about beginning a national rescue mission. And so, I want to appeal directly to our three aspirants.Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, GCON, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, CON and Alhaji Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, OON”
“Each one of you is eminently qualified. Each of you has served this country with distinction in important capacities. All of you possess the experience and capacity to offer leadership to Nigeria. However, it can only be one of you who would fly the flag of our party and tonight, the members of the African Democratic Congress have spoken. I congratulate you, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. This party has placed its trust in you and you must realise that you now have a duty to build bridges and carry every member along.”
