Peter Obi enjoyed most preferential treatment in ADC - Spokesperson

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has clarified its stance regarding the departure of its former member, Peter Obi. Speaking on Arise Television, party spokesperson Bolaji Abdullahi asserted that Obi was not only accommodated but received the most preferential treatment compared to any other leader within the party structure. This statement directly counters any narrative suggesting Obi was marginalized or unfairly treated during his tenure.

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I can tell you, and I say this without any fear of contradiction, as the national publicity secretary of the ADC, that none of the aspirants, none of the leaders in this party, has been treated or favoured the way His Excellency Peter Obi has been treated and accommodated within this structure.

Abdullahi detailed the conscious efforts made by the ADC to create an inclusive coalition, emphasizing that concessions and shared responsibilities were part of the arrangement to accommodate prominent political figures like Obi. The spokesperson highlighted that Obi benefited from a unique level of accommodation that no other individual in the coalition received, underscoring the party's commitment to broad-based participation.

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Let me state clearly: my decision to leave the ADC is not because our highly respected Chairman, Senator David Mark, treated me badly, nor because my leader and elder brother, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, or any other respected leaders did anything personally wrong to me. I will continue to respect them.

The ADC's clarification comes after Obi's resignation in May, which he attributed to internal party divisions, legal disputes, external interference, and a hostile political environment. While Obi expressed respect for the party's leadership, he indicated that the issues plaguing the Labour Party, which he had previously left, seemed to be replicating within the ADC. The party's current statement aims to set the record straight from its internal perspective, portraying Obi's departure as a personal decision despite the party's efforts to integrate him fully.

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However, the same Nigerian state and its agents that created unnecessary crises and hostility within the Labour Party that forced me to leave now appear to be finding their way into the ADC, with endless court cases, internal battles, suspicion, and division, instead of focusing on deeper national problems and playing politics built more on control and exclusion than on service and nation-building.