Business activities were erupted Wednesday along Mohammed Mustapha Way in Jimeta, Adamawa State as loyalists and supporters of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) staged a peaceful protest across major streets in Yola, rejecting the alleged substitution of Engineer Omar Suleiman.
The peaceful protest the New Telegraph gathered may not be unconnected with the current rumours making around that the Governorship candidate for the 2027 general elections, Engineer Omar Suleiman, is to be replaced by another unpopular candidate.
The protesters, drawn from the twenty one local government areas of the state, converged in the early hours of the day and marched through key locations in the state capital, including major roads and public institutions, while displaying placards with inscriptions such as “Respect Party Democracy,” “Omarana Is Our Candidate,” and “No to Candidate Substitution”.
Chanting party slogans and solidarity songs, the demonstrators insisted that the mandate given to their preferred candidate must be respected, stressing that any attempt to alter the outcome of internal party processes would be resisted through lawful means.
Mr Madu Umar who spoke with journalists accused unnamed individuals of attempting to manipulate the party’s structure for personal interests, alleging that such actions could undermine unity within the party and weaken its chances in the forthcoming elections.
Madu Umar who is the Chairman Frontier Movement Nationwide called on the Presidential Candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and the national leadership of the party to immediately clarify the situation and reaffirm its commitment to transparency, fairness, and internal democracy.
He also urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure strict compliance with electoral guidelines governing party nominations.
While appealing to security agencies to remain neutral and provide adequate protection for citizens exercising their constitutional right to peaceful assembly, Umar noted that their demonstration was orderly and devoid of violence.
The demonstrators warned that failure by relevant authorities to address their concerns promptly could lead to further actions, though they reiterated their commitment to peaceful engagement and dialogue.
Also speaking, Hajiya Aisha Hamidu, the ADC Women Leader, stressed that the protest remained peaceful with no incidents of violence or disruption of public orderl.
According to Hajiya Hamidu, the Omarana campaign Organization has
vowed to continue mobilising support and exploring legitimate channels to defend what they described as the collective will of ADC members in Adamawa State.
She urged party stakeholders especially the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to act swiftly to prevent the situation from snowballing into a broader internal crisis, before he may be accused of being behind the move to replace the party’s governorship candidate, Omar Suleiman.
