The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has accused the African Democratic Congress (ADC) of owing its workers more than 12 months’ salaries, urging Nigerians to reject the party, its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and its candidates in the next general elections.
The council’s spokesperson, Dele Alake, made the call in a statement, accusing the ADC National Working Committee, led by Senator David Mark as chairman and Rauf Aregbesola as secretary, of neglecting party workers despite their reliance on salaries for their daily needs.
Alake described the alleged failure to pay the workers as “wicked and reprehensible”, questioning the party’s capacity to manage the country’s affairs if it could not meet its obligations to its own employees.
“We find it unconscionable that a political party that has made many grandiose promises to hoodwink Nigerians owes its workers for more than 12 months,” he said.
“Owing staff who come to work every day and who rely on the salaries for their daily sustenance is wicked and reprehensible.”
The APC PCC spokesperson said the allegation exposed what he described as the insincerity of the ADC leadership, adding that Nigerians should reject the party at the polls.
“We have clearly stated that ADC leaders and their presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, do not mean well and can do nothing for our country,” Alake said.
He further alleged that Atiku had a history of failing to pay workers, claiming that employees of Gotel Communication and other businesses linked to the former vice-president had previously gone months without salaries and staged protests over unpaid wages and other benefits.
Alake also criticised Aregbesola’s record as governor of Osun State, alleging that his administration struggled to pay workers and pensioners during his eight-year tenure.
He said the state government had introduced quarter-salary and, at times, half-salary payments, while pensioners allegedly went unpaid for more than four years.
“We are therefore not surprised that ADC, harbouring birds of the same feather, cannot pay its workers’ salaries,” he said.
Alake urged Nigerians and workers to reject the ADC, Atiku and all candidates running on the party’s platform in the next general elections.
“We are sounding a warning to Nigerians and working people now: reject ADC. Reject Atiku Abubakar and reject all ADC candidates in the next general elections,” he said.
He argued that a party seeking to govern Nigeria should be able to demonstrate responsible management of its own affairs and the welfare of its workforce.
