John Adaji, the Kogi State Chairman of the Action Democratic Congress (ADC), has refuted recent media reports claiming that he defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Speaking at a campaign rally in Okehi and Adavi Local Government, Adaji dismissed the report as false.

He urged the general public to disregard the claims, emphasizing that the ADC has not disbanded its structure in favor of another political party. Adaji stated, “I am the legitimate Chairman of the ADC in Kogi State, and I stand before you, along with our governorship candidate, Elder Leke Abejide. The ADC’s structure remains intact. The individual who purported to be the Chairman and claimed to have joined the APC was expelled from the ADC some time ago.”

Adaji went on to accuse the person behind the rumors of being an expelled member of the party, stating, “The impostor responsible for the false news had been suspended by the ADC’s executives in his Ogga/Omi/Odo-Ara ward in Yagba West Local Government Area for engaging in anti-party activities and misappropriation of funds. His suspension was endorsed at the local government level, and the State Working Committee likewise ratified it. The National Working Committee further affirmed these decisions, leading to his expulsion from the party in October of the previous year.”

Additionally, Adagu Suberu, former Chairman of Okehi local government and Director General of the Leke Abejide/Idris Omede Governorship campaign council for the African Democratic Congress (ADC), described the composition of the ADC’s leadership in Kogi State as a coalition of former members from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Suberu asserted that the people were reacting to the ruling party’s policies, such as the partial payment of salaries to local government workers and primary school teachers, by supporting the ADC.

He also highlighted the desire for equitable power distribution across the state’s different zones, asserting that the Okun region would produce the next governor of Kogi State.

Leke Abejide, the ADC’s Governorship Candidate, promised to review the civil service screening exercise initiated by the Yahaya Bello administration, with the aim of reinstating workers who were unjustly dismissed and ensuring they receive their full salary arrears.

He also pledged to end the practice of paying a fraction of salaries, which has caused immense frustration among Kogi State civil servants. Abejide added that he would extend the provision of free WAEC fees to public schools in other LGAs across the state, building upon the initiative he started in five LGAs six years ago.