DistantNews
🇳🇬 Nigeria /Elections & Politics

Peter Obi Ignored ADC Policies for 2027 Ticket, Says Party Spokesperson

From The Punch · (5m ago) English Critical tone

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • The National Publicity Secretary of the African Democratic Congress, Bolaji Abdullahi, accused Peter Obi of prioritizing his 2027 presidential ticket over the party's policy development.
  • Abdullahi stated that Obi showed no interest in the party's manifesto and policy positions during his brief membership, suggesting he was only seeking the presidential ticket.
  • He expressed confidence that the ADC can still form a credible opposition coalition for 2027 despite Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso's departure, calling it a temporary setback.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has voiced strong criticism regarding the recent departure of prominent political figures Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso. According to Bolaji Abdullahi, the party's National Publicity Secretary, Obi's brief tenure was characterized by a singular focus on securing the presidential ticket for the 2027 elections, to the detriment of engaging with the ADC's established policy frameworks.

You may invite His Excellency Peter Obi and ask him, what is the ADC position on fuel subsidy? What is the ADC’s framework on security? He doesn’t know, because he’s never been interested. They are just waiting for the tickets to be handed to them.

— Bolaji AbdullahiAbdullahi accused Peter Obi of not engaging with the party's policy development.

Abdullahi detailed how the party invested significant time in developing a manifesto with clear policy positions, yet Obi remained disengaged from this crucial process. He characterized Obi's approach as seeking a "ticket to be handed" rather than actively participating in party building. This perspective suggests a fundamental misalignment between Obi's ambitions and the ADC's commitment to policy-driven politics.

If you say you want to contest election, and you believe in the country, in changing the country, you should know what your party stands for.

— Bolaji AbdullahiAbdullahi contrasted Obi's conduct with the party's expectations for candidates.

Despite the departure of these high-profile members, Abdullahi conveyed a sense of resilience within the ADC. He acknowledged the exit as a "setback" but emphasized that it is "temporary" and that the party is actively "recalibrating" to emerge stronger. The ADC remains optimistic about its potential to anchor a credible opposition coalition for the 2027 general elections, asserting that the party will not become a mere "SPV" (Special Purpose Vehicle) for any individual.

No, no, no, absolutely. Maybe it’s a setback, but it’s a temporary setback. We are recalibrating, and we are going to come back stronger.

— Bolaji AbdullahiAbdullahi expressed confidence in the ADC's ability to recover and remain a strong opposition force.

This internal party assessment highlights a critical dynamic in Nigerian politics: the tension between individual ambition and party ideology. While Obi and Kwankwaso cited internal crises and efforts to frustrate their participation as reasons for leaving, the ADC's narrative frames their departure as a consequence of their lack of commitment to the party's foundational principles. From the perspective of the ADC, this situation is not a fatal blow but an opportunity to regroup and reaffirm its dedication to policy-focused governance, a stance that may resonate differently with the electorate compared to the more personality-driven narratives often seen in Western coverage.

This party ADC is not going to be an SPV for anybody.

— Bolaji AbdullahiAbdullahi stated that the ADC would not serve as a mere vehicle for any single individual's political ambitions.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog