IN an apparent contravention of the statutory requirement of its existence as a political party, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has no functional secretariat in Oyo State, Mega Icon Magazine exclusively gathered.
The ADC failed to adhere strictly to the constitutional requirements guiding its registration as the party. It finds it difficult to secure an established office for reasonable presence as well as keeping the party’s business running in an efficient, organized way.
Confirming this, top sources, who confided in our reporter disclosed that former Governor Rashidi Ladoja had earlier donated the old Accord Party Secretariat situated at Samonda, Ibadan, to the party, a gesture, which was reportedly rejected by members of Unity Forum, the breakaway faction of the Oyo State chapter of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) which joined the ADC.
The sources also hinted further that an ADC guber aspirant, Mr Festus Adegoke, who owns the Old Ife road property where the party was using as its temporary secretariat has ejected the state executives out of the office.
Despite raising several millions of naira through the sales of nomination and expression of interest forms; unfortunately, the INEC forms were distributed to candidates at the Ajorosun House and a club, housed by Cocoa House, according to the sources
For the governorship category, the nomination form goes for N5 million, and expression of interest, N1million, totalling N6 million. For Senate, nomination form is N2 million, and expression of interest, N500,000. This adds up to N2.5 million. Total expression of Interest and nomination forms for the House of Representatives is N1 million, and for State House of Assembly, N450,000.
However, the stone that the builders rejected could be said to have now become the cornerstone as the party struggles to secure the former Accord Party secretariat donated by Chief Ladoja which was earlier rejected.
Meanwhile, a close source to the former governor on Thursday told our reporter that the Ibadan High Chief Rasidi Ladoja has completed plans to handover the Samonda building to the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Oyo State, as its secretariat.
He added that the building is presently wearing ZLP logo.
By Idowu Ayodele
