The Ogun State chapter of the African Democratic Congress has rejected allegations that its chairman, Olufemi Soluade, diverted money paid by aspirants for nomination forms ahead of the 2027 elections.

The party said all funds referenced in a petition submitted to its national leadership were paid into an account designated by the national secretariat, insisting that there was no evidence of financial misconduct by the state chairman.

The Director-General of the party’s Media, Communications and Publicity Directorate, Adesina Olanrewaju, stated this on Wednesday during a press briefing at the ADC secretariat in Itoko, Abeokuta.

Olanrewaju said the state chapter reviewed the petition and supporting claims but found that payment records and receipts did not support the allegation that Soluade personally received or diverted the money.

He said the payments were made strictly for nomination forms and that senior party leaders were aware of the arrangement.

The party also accused those behind the petition of taking contradictory positions, saying they had previously recognised Soluade as the legitimate state chairman while allegedly attempting to establish an alternative leadership structure.

Olanrewaju said the dispute was linked to the handling and distribution of nomination forms obtained from the ADC National Secretariat.

According to him, a man identified as Oladimeji Fabiyi, who claimed to be the party’s Deputy National Financial Secretary, collected an initial batch of about 50 forms but released only about 10 to the state leadership.

He said the development raised concerns among aspirants as the deadline for obtaining the forms drew near, leading some aspirants—particularly those seeking seats in the House of Assembly—to suggest that their payments be processed through Soluade, who was in Abuja to facilitate the collection of another batch of forms.

The party maintained that the arrangement was not intended to give the chairman personal control over the funds but to ensure that aspirants could obtain their forms before the deadline.

Olanrewaju further alleged that activities of a parallel group within the party disrupted preparations for the presidential primary in Ogun State, claiming that the group approached presidential aspirants under questionable circumstances.

He said the party had documentary evidence, including payment records, receipts, dates and names of aspirants, to counter the allegations in the petition.

The ADC spokesperson added that an internal membership verification exercise indicated that some individuals listed as petitioners were not registered members of the party in Ogun State.

He said a report had been sent to the offices of the national chairman and national organising secretary for further action.

Olanrewaju reaffirmed the state executive’s support for Soluade and said the leadership remained committed to transparency, accountability and unity within the party.

He urged members of the public and party stakeholders to disregard claims capable of creating division, while advising journalists to seek clarification from the party’s accredited communications directorate before publishing reports concerning the ADC.