The newly established African Democratic Congress (ADC) has announced that the Labour Party's presidential candidate for the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, and former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, will not be required to defect from their current political parties before the 2027 elections.
This confirmation was made by Bolaji Abdullahi, the interim National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, in an interview on Wednesday.
His statement came in response to a serious warning given on Tuesday by the interim National Chairman of the ADC, David Mark, who emphasized that the party would not tolerate any anti-party activities or indiscipline.
During his address to party members in Abuja, Mark stated, “There will be no tolerance for anti-party behavior or indiscipline; you are either part of ADC or not. There is no halfway. Those who do not support us will not be included.”
Additionally, he declared plans to revamp the grassroots leadership structure, adapting it to modern demands, and open opportunities for future generations in terms of policies, nominations, and roles.
The ADC, which has recently been recognized as the main platform for the opposition coalition, is reportedly attempting to attract Obi and other prominent politicians who have not yet officially joined the party.
However, Obi's camp has downplayed concerns over Mark’s warning, asserting that Obi has already communicated his stance to the coalition leaders.
The National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, Dr. Yunusa Tanko, stated that Obi would not be rushed into making an unwise decision.
He explained, “From the very start of the coalition discussions, our principal made it clear that he remains a Labour man and his joining the coalition is for the 2027 elections.”
When asked to confirm Tanko’s statements, Abdullahi affirmed that both Obi and El-Rufai had received permission to stay with their original parties for the time being.
He elaborated: “Indeed! Obi is accurate. This applies to him and Nasir (El-Rufai), given their supporters and allies are already registered to run in their legacy parties.
We cannot force them to defect as it would disrupt their followers' structures. They were therefore granted the option to remain in their parties until after the elections. Essentially, they requested this concession, and it was approved.”
Meanwhile, Obi has sought to clarify that he is not affiliated with any of the viral statements circulating on social media.
His media aide, Umar Ibrahim, issued a statement on Wednesday, referring to one piece that alleged Obi denied returning to the People’s Democratic Party and expressed loyalty to the ADC, while another claimed he was offered the role of National Organising Secretary in the ADC.
Ibrahim made it clear that neither of these statements originated from Obi or his media team.
He stated, “Peter Obi has been clear in his position regarding the ongoing coalition and did not require anyone to misrepresent his views.”
The former Anambra governor, who remains a focal point of significant political speculation, continues to concentrate on his goal of creating “a new Nigeria of our dreams.”
His media office has urged the public to disregard any statements attributed to him that did not come from his official channels.