The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has described the exit of Mr. Peter Obi and Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso as a setback, but said it will not destroy the party’s plans for the 2027 general elections.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, spoke on Monday during an interview on Arise News’ Prime Time programme.
Obi and Kwankwaso had earlier joined the ADC as part of moves to build a strong opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 elections. However, both politicians recently moved to the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC).
Speaking on their departure, Abdullahi admitted it was a disappointment for the party.
“Is it a setback? The answer is yes. Is it a fatal blow? The answer is no, because the objectives are very clear. They are still the same,” he said.
He also said there was no guarantee that the votes Obi and Kwankwaso received during the 2023 elections would automatically remain with them in future elections.
Abdullahi further revealed that he was personally unhappy about their exit.
“Personally, I’m not happy they left. And I cannot tell you why, because I have my own sentiments. I’m not happy they left,” he stated.
Despite this, he said the party can now focus on its goals without pressure.
“In a way, it’s a bit of relief. Now we can focus on really doing what we need to do without being under the pressure cooker that they were trying to put us in. I am not disheartened. No, no, not at all,” he added.
The ADC spokesman also said the party would not fight Obi and Kwankwaso over their decision to leave.
“We don’t think they are our enemies. We are not going to go into a dogfight with them,” he said.
Obi had earlier explained that he left the ADC because of what he described as “orchestrated litigation and internal crises” aimed at stopping him and others from participating effectively in the electoral process.
He warned against weakening opposition parties, saying democracy should never be used against the people.
