…says Atiku sent text to NE ADC exco preferring Modibbo over Suleiman, challenges him to deny it
. ‘Same script as Bindow and Fintiri’, Bappa warns Atiku’s alleged meddling will cost him political relevance, 2027 presidency
Fresh controversy has erupted within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Adamawa State as party stakeholder and political commentator Adamu Bappa accused former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of allegedly orchestrating moves to replace the party’s governorship candidate, Amb. Engr. Omar Suleiman (Omarana), with another aspirant, Modibbo.
Speaking to our correspondent, Bappa alleged with deep concern that the former vice president was behind ongoing efforts to alter the party’s governorship arrangement in Adamawa ahead of the 2027 elections.
According to him, information available to him suggests that Atiku had communicated his preference for Modibbo over Omar Suleiman to influential figures within the party structure
“Atiku Abubakar is the one engineering the replacement of Omar Suleiman with Modibbo. This is not speculation. We have it on good authority that he sent a text message to one of the North-East executives of the ADC expressing his preference for Modibbo rather than Suleiman,” Bappa alleged.
He further claimed that a source who spoke in confidence disclosed details of the alleged communication, challenging the former vice president to publicly refute the allegation if it was untrue
“Our source is speaking in confidence, but the former vice president should come out and deny these allegations if they are false,” he said.
Bappa urged Atiku to avoid what he described as a pattern of political manipulation, alleging that similar actions had characterized the former vice president’s political engagements over the years.
“He should stop deceiving people. This is a pattern of behaviour that many Nigerians and Adamawa politicians have known him for over the decades,” he stated.
Drawing parallels with past political developments in Adamawa State, Bappa claimed that Atiku had previously played similar roles in the political trajectories of former Governor Muhammadu Umaru Bindow and Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri.
“What is happening now is not new. He did the same thing to Bindow and Fintiri. So nobody should pretend that this is strange. It has happened before,” he alleged.
The ADC chieftain warned that any successful attempt to replace Omar Suleiman could have far-reaching consequences for both Atiku’s political influence in Adamawa and the fortunes of the ADC nationally.
According to him, sidelining a candidate who enjoys grassroots support could alienate party loyalists and undermine confidence in the party’s internal democratic processes.
“If this decision eventually prevails, it will further diminish Atiku’s political relevance in Adamawa State. It will also weaken his chances of realizing any future presidential ambition because people are watching,” Bappa said.
He argued that imposing candidates against the wishes of party members could damage the ADC’s credibility and expose the party to ridicule ahead of the next general election.
“Subjecting the ADC to this kind of controversy will only turn the party into a mockery across the country. Political parties must respect the will of their members if they hope to gain public trust,” he added.
Bappa maintained that Omar Suleiman remains the party’s recognized governorship candidate in Adamawa and urged ADC leaders to resist external pressures that could destabilize the party.
The allegations come amid growing speculation about internal power struggles within the ADC in Adamawa State, although neither Atiku Abubakar nor the party’s national leadership had officially responded to the claims as of the time of filing this report.
Efforts to obtain a reaction from former Vice President Atiku Abubakar regarding the allegations were unsuccessful at the time of this report.
