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Bolaji Abdullahi, national publicity secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), says Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), opted for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) because he cannot survive in a competitive political coalition that requires negotiation and compromise.
On Sunday, Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, former governor of Kano, formally joined the NDC.
Obi had earlier announced his exit from ADC, while Kwankwaso also hinted that he was having “wide-ranging consultations” with the NDC.
Reacting to the development during an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time on Monday, Abdullahi said Obi’s exit from the ADC was premeditated.
He added that the former Anambra governor needed a party structure that “belongs to one man”, and could easily guarantee him the presidential ticket without rigorous internal bargaining.
“The kind of party Peter Obi needed was the party he is now. A party that belongs to one man, that can say I guarantee you the ticket before he comes in,” Abdullahi said.
“But in a political party like a coalition where a lot of negotiations need to happen, where you cannot take anybody for granted, where you have to make sure you keep everybody within the coalition even when they don’t get what they want… I don’t think Peter Obi can survive in such an environment, and that is why he’s gone to NDC because NDC can promise him the ticket.”
The ADC spokesperson said Obi wanted not only the party’s presidential ticket but also to personally choose his running mate.
Abdullahi said while he is not happy that Obi and Kwankwaso left the party, their exit has brought some relief to the ADC.
“Personally, I’m not happy they left, but in a way, it is a bit of relief. Now we can really focus on doing what we need to do without being under the pressure cooker that they were trying to put us in,” he added.
He downplayed the impact of their departure, describing it as a setback but “not a fatal blow” for the ADC.
“We are not going to go into a dogfight with them; they are not our enemy,” Abdullahi said.
