Eshioromeh Sebastian, Abuja
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has articulated an unease regarding the lack of a coordinated political front between former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, as the nation looks toward the 2027 general elections.
In an interview on Arise Television’s Morning Show, the ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, acknowledged the party’s growing apprehension about the situation. When questioned on whether the non-collaboration between the two political figures posed a threat, Abdullahi offered a measured yet candid assessment.
“I may not describe the situation in such superlative terms to say that it’s the greatest threat to democracy at the moment,” Abdullahi stated. “But is it a conundrum? Yes. Is it a challenge? Yes. Is it something we are concerned about? Yes.”
Despite this concern, Abdullahi was keen to shift focus to the party’s immediate organisational priorities. He emphasised that the ADC’s current energies are directed inward, towards building a robust national framework capable of contesting elections effectively across the federation.
“Nobody in the ADC at this time is having conversations about who the presidential candidates will be,” he asserted. “We have so much work to do — to establish our real presence and be in a position to contest elections in all 36 states and the FCT.”
The spokesman further clarified that the narrative should not be narrowly centred on just two individuals. “We have also tried to maintain that it’s not just about Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi. There are other people who are also interested in contesting the presidential race. You know, so, we have to make allowance for that. It’s not a central case between Atiku and Peter Obi”, Abdullahi noted.
Outlining the party’s potential approach to candidate selection, Abdullahi explained, “The most important thing is that at this time, when we get to that point, we try to engineer a consensus – a consensus which is an option for us, but if we are not able to reach a consensus, then we’ll possibly just open it up for everyone to contest.”
The concern raised is coming against a backdrop of reported tensions within the opposition’s coalescing efforts. From his recent engagements and body language, Peter Obi is understood to be averse to the prospect of a contentious primary election against Atiku Abubakar.
Obi is firmly advocating for the party’s presidential ticket to be zoned to the southern region of Nigeria. He has even proposed to serve only a single term if elected, with an aim to return power to the north thereafter.
Spear News reports that Obi recently raised concerns about a lack of coordination within the ADC, which he attributed to the party’s refusal to formally commence discussions on zoning and the rotation of key offices.
The ADC’s retort was swift and pointed. The party urged Obi to first complete the process of formally joining its ranks before setting terms, maintaining that the zoning debate is premature and is “not on the table” at this stage of their rebuilding process.
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