Members of African Democratic Party (ADC) Kogi East has called on the national body of the party to institute disciplinary action on the state chairman of the party Hon. Kingsley T. Ogga and the
state secretary Mr. John Adaji Udale before their actions drag the party to needless problems capable of misleading the party and bringing it to disrepute in Kogi state.
At a press conference held on Wednesday at Anyigba, Dekina local government area of Kogi state, the ADC Kogi East who made the call, described the purported suspension of Hon. Leke Abejide, the member representing Yagba Federal Constituency in National Assembly, and the 2023 Kogi state ADC Governorship candidate, as well as Hon.(Dr) Omede Idris, the 2023 Kogi state ADC Deputy Governorship candidate and three others as null and void.
The ADC state women leader and members State Working Committee Mrs Deborah Maji who presented a speech at the press conference, explained that there was invitation to an expanded State Working Committee (SWC) and 21 LGA chairmen of ADC meeting which was sent directly and placed on the party’s WhatsApp platform by the state secretary of the Mr. John Adaji Udale to hold on Monday 4th August 2025 at Lily Grand hotel Lokoja, Kogi state by 10am.
According to her, a written attendance was taken at the venue, and surreptitiously taken away by the conveyor that brought attendance paper, saying the chairman and secretary of the party were never seen, stressing that some of the invited party members waited patiently within and outside the venue for the arrival of the chairman, secretary and other officers, but they were no where to be found.
She stated that at about 12.30pm same day August 4, 2025, members of the party waiting for the commencement of the meeting, saw and read on various platforms, a press release signed by the secretary of the party captioned “ADC dismisses purported suspension of Hon Leke Abejide”, dated 2nd August 2025.
Mrs. Maji said in the press release, signed by the state secretary of the party, he stated categorically that the suspension was falsely attributed to him and that no such decision was taken by the party”, citing the party constitution to back up his claims.
She wondered at what stage has the ward and local government executive now taken the decision, that premise on the so called affirmation or approval by the SWC of the suspension of five notable members of the party, stressing that the press conference has no iota of truth, describing it as a make belief orchestrated by the two officers of the party to deceive members, leaders and the public.
“None of the members of the State Working Committee SWC and LGA chairmen who signed attendance were anywhere at the venue of the said press conference, neither was there any prior meeting with the invited participants. Thus, the press conference cannot and is not a reflection of any meeting held. The content of the press conference is therefore fraudulent and a great mischief.
“The said press conference is not only playing on members and the public intelligence, but it is quite insulting, gross misinformation and misdirection to charge the duo of Hon Leke Abejide and Hon.(Dr) Omede Idris of what the authors described as “disloyalty, insubordination, failure to honour the invitation extended to them in lines with the stipulated law of our party since 2023, perpetual breach of the party Constitution, by the two of them” and other listed officials of the party in the said press conference.
“These are total fabrication without truth to smear the reputable these personalities have attained in various spheres of life. They are false, bile stained, unnecessary venom of ill-will and hatred. Subjecting these persons to any committee of the party is indeed laughable, inappropriate, misplaced and indeed an unfortunate wish by the perpetrators.
“For the records, Hon (Elder) Leke Abejide is the one that popularized ADC in Kogi state and for the first time, the party was on the INEC Governorship ballot for the 2023 Governorship election.
This is the first in Kogi state since 1999 or the 4th Republic that the party has gone that far. Hon (Dr) Omede Idris, since joining the party and running the same ticket with Hon Leke Abejide, has been quite supportive to the party and her members especially in Kogi East senatorial zone.
“Is this how to build a party to win elections, by tactically and unintelligently chasing and pushing away old members because of new found members and new relationship? This will definitely amount to weakening the foundation being laid for the party, before the present coalition, sets in. What is good for the goose is good for the gender” she stated .
Mrs. Maji therefore called on the party leadership to be wary of these party officers, advising that they should not be allowed to drag the party to needless problems.
“For the records, the then 2022 suspended ADC state chairman Hon. Kingsley T. Ogga , now reinstated under coalition ADC and the then 2022 Acting ADC State Chairman Hon John Adaji Udale, now reverted back as state Secretary, should not throw wool into our eyes.
“It was a common knowledge that both of them did anti-party in the Kogi 2023 governorship election. The former did APC, while the latter did SDP. Even now, we have no doubt that, their loyalty is hanging on a balance, by their characters and antecedents, if we must tell the truth.” she stated.