A fresh crisis is brewing in the Edo North chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) following the alleged illegal replacement of its senatorial candidate for the district, Prince Musa Braimoh.
Braimoh emerged as the party’s candidate for the Edo North Senatorial District during its primary election, and his name was published in the initial list of candidates uploaded by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
However, in the final list of National Assembly candidates recently released by INEC, Aruna Abubakar was listed as the ADC candidate for the district.
Speaking with journalists in Benin, Braimoh disclosed that he had filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja to challenge his substitution.
He maintained that he was the sole aspirant who purchased the nomination form and participated in the party’s primary election monitored by INEC, as mandated by the Electoral Act.
‘I was shocked to discover that my name had been replaced with that of an individual who neither bought a form nor participated in the primary,’ Braimoh said.
He alleged that the ADC leadership in Edo North acted in connivance with the State Chairman of the party, Hon. Pius Alile, to substitute his name.
Braimoh further claimed he was being victimized for refusing to comply with a directive from state party leaders to support Rotimi Amaechi during the ADC presidential primary. According to him, he declined the directive because he had already pledged his support to another presidential contender, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
Responding to the allegations, a senior ADC leader who spoke on the condition of anonymity accused Braimoh of engaging in anti-party activities.
The source alleged that Braimoh intended to use the party’s ticket to negotiate a financial settlement to step down for a rival party’s candidate.
When contacted, the State Publicity Secretary of the ADC, Chris Ojeikere, acknowledged that Braimoh was aggrieved, adding that the party leadership would meet with him to resolve the dispute internally.