By Francis Kadiri, Abuja.

Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the 2023 elections, Dumebi Kachikwu has challenged the David Mark-led ADC coalition to Zone the presidential ticket of the party to the South if indeed it is not working to actuate the political intent of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

Kachikwu, who spoke at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, accused the coalition of making decisions that are not in the best interest of the country and party, but which aim to technically impose Atiku Abubakar as presidential flag bearer of the coalition.

While saying that the faction of the party led by former Senate President David Mark was deliberately structured to produce former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the 2027 presidential flag bearer, he called on Mark, Atiku and Obi to desist from infiltrating the ADC, stating that Tinubu and Mark belong to Nigeria’s old crop of Nigerian politicians who lack the right political ideologies to salvage Nigeria.

Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Thursday, Kachikwu said the group told him during their meeting that their main interest was reclaiming power.

He dared the coalition leaders to prove him wrong by publicly declaring that the 2027 presidential ticket would be zoned to the South.

Dumebi stated, “The Coalition was engineered and designed to produce Atiku Abubakar as the standard flag bearer. If not, I challenge them to make a statement that the ADC 2027 presidential ticket is for Southerners.

“All they were saying during my meeting with them was that they wanted to take their power back.”