The Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Adamawa State, Shehu Yohanna, has accused former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, of falsely claiming membership of the party.
In an interview with The PUNCH on Monday, Yohanna described the two politicians as “ghost members,” challenging them to present themselves at the state secretariat to collect their official membership cards if they were truly part of the ADC.
He alleged that both men had been circulating fabricated documents and fictitious lists of supposed ADC transitional committee members on social media.
“I contacted the acting National Chairman, Senator David Mark, and the acting Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola, and they both confirmed they were unaware of the lists being circulated by Atiku Abubakar and Babachir Lawal,” Yohanna claimed. “Those lists contain fake names and titles.”
The Adamawa ADC chairman also dismissed reports that any member of the party had declared interest in contesting the state’s governorship, insisting that the names included in the alleged lists were “not from our party.”
“There is no ADC member who has declared for governorship,” he said. “The names on those lists are fabrications.”
But in a sharp rebuttal, Lawal dismissed Yohanna’s claims as “frivolous,” accusing the chairman of acting irrationally.
“When he takes ogbo (a local drink), he says anything he likes,” Lawal retorted. “There is no law in ADC that says you must register in your ward. Members can register online or in their wards.”
The former SGF further accused Yohanna of resisting change within the state chapter, saying: “He is only afraid of his shadow. He cannot stop the new changes and development in Adamawa ADC.”
The dispute adds another layer to the uncertainty surrounding Atiku’s reported move to the ADC following his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party earlier this year.
In August, The PUNCH reported that Atiku had delayed collecting his ADC membership card, despite initial plans for a formal ceremony scheduled for August 6 in his hometown of Jada. The event was later postponed indefinitely without explanation from his camp.
At the time, Yohanna said Atiku had told him by phone that the delay was to allow some governors from the ruling All Progressives Congress who were “planning to join ADC” to finalise their defections before the event.
“From the way things are going, due to one issue or the other, the event may get to September,” Yohanna said then—a prediction that, months later, appears to have given way to a public falling-out within the party.
