By Lanre Oloyede
National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Senator David Mark, has charged the party’s governorship candidates to shun hate speech, ethnic and religious profiling, violence and empty promises as they commence preparations for the 2027 general elections.
Mark gave the warning on Monday in Abuja at a consultation meeting with ADC governorship candidates from across the country.
The ADC chairman urged the candidates to ensure that their campaigns reflected the values and vision of the party, warning that making promises they had no intention of fulfilling could undermine their personal credibility and damage the integrity of the party.
He said ADC candidates must distinguish themselves by running issue-based campaigns centred on the kind of country they intend to build.
“We are ADC. Our campaign must reflect the kind of country that we would like to build. Avoid hate speech, ethnic or religious profiling. We cannot be associated with violence in whatever form,” Mark said.
He added that the party did not subscribe to the notion that everything was permissible in politics, stressing the need for its candidates to maintain high ethical standards throughout the campaign.
“Unlike the ruling party and the President, ADC does not believe that all is fair in politics,” he stated.
The former Senate President also directed the governorship candidates to familiarise themselves with the party’s Governance and Ethical Principles, as contained in its Orange Book, as well as its manifesto.
He said adherence to the party’s principles would be crucial to ensuring that ADC candidates conducted themselves responsibly and maintained the confidence of the electorate.
The meeting provided an opportunity for the candidates to interact with the party leadership as preparations intensify for the 2027 elections.
In their separate remarks, the governorship candidates expressed appreciation to the ADC for providing them with the platform to contest the forthcoming elections.
They also welcomed the decision of the party and its presidential candidate to make the reduction of the cost of living a central plank of the party’s campaign.
The candidates particularly expressed support for the proposal to restore fuel subsidy as part of measures they said could reduce the price of petrol and ease the economic burden on Nigerians.
They pledged their loyalty to the party and promised to work towards securing victory for ADC in their respective states.
The consultation is coming as political parties intensify mobilisation and positioning ahead of the 2027 general elections, with ADC seeking to present itself as a credible alternative to the established political parties.
