The African Democratic Congress (ADC), presidential candidate Dumebi Kachikwu, said he remains the candidate of the party for the forthcoming general elections. Dismissed reports of his suspension by the party’s deputy national chairman.

Wakadaily gathered that the Deputy National Chairman, Bamidele Ajadi, accused Mr Kachikwu of making “defamatory” statements that contravene the values of the ADC. He also accused him of other anti-party activities.

“He said the decision on the candidate’s suspension was taken on Friday at an emergency National Working Committee (NWC) meeting held at a location he did not disclose.”

Reacting to the report, Kachikwu, on Saturday debunked news of his suspension at a news conference in Abuja, stated that neither Nwosu nor the defunct National Working Committee chaired by him has the power to suspend him having elapsed on August 28, 2022.

The presidential candidate stated: “In accordance with the constitution of the ADC, the tenure of the chairman and his NWC members elapsed on August 28, 2022 and it is only the National Executive Council, NEC, made up of state chairmen of the party, which has the power to run the affairs of the party and take decisions.

“That was why the elements behind my purported suspension sent out an unsigned document to the media since none of them has any mandate to take any legal action on behalf of the ADC having ended their tenure since August 28, 2022.

“But let it be known to all that we will not allow our mandate to be traded by some pecuniary-minded elements as they had been doing in the past when many candidates were substituted for financial gains,” Kachikwu said.