Sports
ADC not vehicle for Atiku to achieve presidential ambition- says spokesman
Spokesman of opposition party, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has refuted allegations that the party is a vehicle for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to achieve his presidential ambition.
He said the party hasn’t decided on the zoning of its presidential ticket yet.
According to the party’s spokesman, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC will make that decision at the “right time.”
“We will not be blackmailed into a premature decision. Zoning is on the table, and we are having strategic conversations, but I am not in a position to reveal those details yet,” he said on Wednesday’s edition of Channels Television’s Politics Today.
The remark comes less than a year before the 2027 presidential election. On Tuesday, the Labour Party (LP) zoned its ticket to the southern region of Nigeria, while the All Progressives Congress (APC) adopted President Bola Tinubu, from the South, as its consensus candidate.
Critics have claimed the ADC—the platform recently adopted by the opposition coalition—is a “vehicle” for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to achieve his presidential ambition.
However, Abdullahi refuted the claims, stating the party remains open to all and does not have a preferential candidate for the 2027 polls.
When asked directly if the ADC is merely a vehicle for Atiku, the former minister said, “No. Whoever says that doesn’t know what is happening in the ADC.”
“Definitely not. People will believe what they want, but I am telling you this has absolutely nothing to do with Atiku Abubakar any more than it has to do with Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, or anyone else who might want to contest on our platform,” he added.
Amid a wave of defections to the APC, Abdullahi accused President Tinubu of “suffocating” the opposition.
“We believe that Nigeria is facing an unprecedented existential challenge. It is critical for all opposition forces to come together,” he said.
“Splintering opposition ranks only helps to entrench the status quo. For those who share our conviction that we have a duty to protect democracy, you are welcome to join our ranks.”
A Somali referee, Omar Artan, prevented from entering the United States of America to officiate at the world cup, will not get any help from the world football governing body, FIFA.
FIFA said it could not intervene, stressing that visa and entry decisions rest solely with host governments.
“In line with previous FIFA events, a host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and who is admitted into their country,” a FIFA spokesperson said.
A spokesperson for U.S. Customs and Border Protection U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Artan was denied entry after routine inspection, citing “vetting concerns.”
The Somali government expressed “deep regret” over his exclusion, saying Artan “represents the very best of Somali talent.”
The controversy comes as the expanded FIFA World Cup FIFA World Cup prepares to begin under heightened political tensions.
said the “biggest dream of my life” was taken away after he was denied entry into the United States to officiate at the FIFA World Cup, following what authorities described as vetting concerns.
Artan, who was named Referee of the Year in 2025 by the Confederation of African Football, has since been removed from FIFA’s list of tournament officials after he was refused entry on arrival in Miami on Saturday.
The decision comes amid broader immigration restrictions linked to travel bans introduced under the administration of former U.S. President Donald Trump, which include Somalia among several affected countries.
A U.S. State Department United States Department of State official told AFP that Artan was considered “associated with suspected members of terrorist organizations,” a claim that rendered him “inadmissible” under U.S. entry rules.
Following an 11-hour interview with border officials in Miami ,Miami, Artan said he was moved to a holding facility before being placed on a flight back to Istanbul.
“I’m just simply a referee who’s trying to live his dream… to come to the World Cup,” he told The New York Times The New York Times in a phone interview, adding that he had valid documen
tation and a visa.
A Somali referee, Omar Artan, has said the “biggest dream of my life” was taken away after he was denied entry into the United States to officiate at the FIFA World Cup, following what authorities described as vetting concerns.
Artan, who was named Referee of the Year in 2025 by the Confederation of African Football Confederation of African Football, has since been removed from FIFA’s list of tournament officials after he was refused entry on arrival in Miami on Saturday.
The decision comes amid broader immigration restrictions linked to travel bans introduced under the administration of the U.S. President Donald Trump Donald Trump, which include Somalia among several affected countries.
A U.S. State Department United States Department of State official told AFP that Artan was considered “associated with suspected members of terrorist organizations,” a claim that rendered him “inadmissible” under U.S. entry rules.
Following an 11-hour interview with border officials in Miami Miami, Artan said he was moved to a holding facility before being placed on a flight back to Istanbul.
“I’m just simply a referee who’s trying to live his dream… to come to the World Cup,” he told The New York Times The New York Times in a phone interview, adding that he had valid documentation and a visa.
FIFA said it could not intervene, stressing that visa and entry decisions rest solely with host governments.
“In line with previous FIFA events, a host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and who is admitted into their country,” a FIFA spokesperson said.
A spokesperson for U.S. Customs and Border Protection U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Artan was denied entry after routine inspection, citing “vetting concerns.”
The Somali government expressed “deep regret” over his exclusion, saying Artan “represents the very best of Somali talent.”
The controversy comes as the expanded FIFA World Cup FIFA World Cup prepares to begin under heightened political tensions.
Iran, one of the participating teams, has reportedly faced logistical disruptions, including changes to training arrangements and visa issues affecting staff and supporters, according
to football authorities.
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