Spokesperson of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Bolaji Abdullah, has said that the exit of Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso is a huge relief for the coalition.
Bolaji Abdullahi, in an interview with ARISE TV on Monday, said that while the exit of Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso might seem like a huge setback for the coalition, the coalition itself is relieved that it let go of the former presidential candidate and his proposed running mate.
“Personally, I’m not happy that Peter Obi and Kwankwaso left ADC, because I have my sentiments. But in a way, it’s a bit of a relief. Now we can do what we really need to do without being under the pressure cooker that they were trying to put us in.
“Is this a setback? The answer is yes. Is it a fatal blow? The answer is no.”
Mr. Abdullahi then chastised Mr. Obi for not knowing the ADC’s manifesto after seveal attempts to get him accustomed to the mission of the coalition from the onset. Mr. Abdullahi claims that although Mr. Obi wanted to be in charge, the ADC intended to choose a consensus presidential candidate.
“We set up a manifesto committee to develop a manifesto on what we want to do differently. You may invite Peter Obi and ask him what ADC’s position is on fuel subsidy? What is ADC’s framework on security? He doesn’t know because he has never been interested. They are just waiting for the ticket to be handed over to them”, he said.
“If you want to contest an election and believe you want to change the country, you should know what your party stands for.
“We are going to settle for consensus, because like you rightly said, there was no possibility of us doing direct primary. I think the kind of party that Peter Obi needed was the party he’s in now. A party that belongs to one man that he can say, ‘I guarantee you the ticket before you come in’”, he added.
Exit of Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso from ADC
Recall that ENigeria Newspaper has reported that Peter Obi announced his departure from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), citing structural issues and escalating internal crises in Nigeria’s political landscape ahead of 2027 elections.
Obi voiced his intense dissatisfaction with what he called a “toxic” political environment characterized by intimidation, insecurity, and ongoing internal strife in a statement posted on Sunday via his verified X (previously Twitter) account.
The former governor of Anambra State claimed that personal grudges against the Opposition coalition’s leadership had no bearing on his decision to leave the party. He explicitly cleared important party leaders of any misconduct.
