By Bashir Bello, Abuja
Concerned members of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, in Kaduna State have disowned Mr. Salihu Lukman, saying he possesses “no political structure, no electoral value, and no grassroots base” in the state. In a rejoinder dated 17th July, 2026 to the National Chairman, Senator David Mark, sighted by our correspondent, the group said Lukman’s recent letter to the national leadership does not reflect the position of the party in Kaduna State.
The group said the rejoinder followed consultations with the state coalition leadership and was in line with an earlier letter of 21st April, 2026 sent to the National Chairman. It stated that the ADC in Kaduna is built around leaders such as former Governor Malam Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai and other stakeholders across the three senatorial zones who are on ground mobilizing. “For the avoidance of doubt, Mr. Lukman’s relevance has been limited to Abuja politics and occasional press statements that command no followership on the ground,” the statement said.
The Concerned Members accused Lukman of convening meetings without the input of recognized state leaders and writing to the national on issues he has no mandate to speak on. They described the actions as “deliberate and divisive” and a threat to party harmony, adding that the ADC in Kaduna cannot afford distractions from “one man’s obsession with relevance.”
The group also cited Lukman’s antecedents at the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and the All Progressives Congress under Comrades Adams Oshiomhole and Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, alleging a pattern of leaving platforms when not in control. “The same pattern is repeating itself in the ADC. His fixation on former Governor El-Rufai is proof that his interest is personal vendetta and media noise, not party building,” it added.
Reaffirming loyalty to the national leadership, the group urged Senator Mark to discountenance Lukman’s letter and stand by the 21st April position of the Kaduna Coalition Leadership. “The ADC in Kaduna State is bigger than any individual. The party is waxing stronger and Lukman’s actions do not reflect the mood of our members. It is a case of good riddance to bad political rubbish,” the statement concluded.
