Fresh details have emerged on the circumstances that led to the exit of former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, and ex-Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, from the African Democratic Congress amid deepening internal divisions.
As reported by SUN, investigations revealed that Obi, who was the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 election, had consistently canvassed the zoning of the party’s 2027 presidential ticket to the South during coalition talks.
His position reportedly enjoyed the backing of allies of former Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, who was said to have argued at different meetings that selling a northern candidate to southern voters would be difficult.
Kwankwaso, who contested the 2023 election on the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, had recently aligned with the ADC and agreed to serve as Obi’s running mate.
However, influential figures within the coalition, including the party’s National Chairman and former Senate President, David Mark, as well as former Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, were said to have opposed the push for a southern ticket.
Sources also indicated that while some prominent political actors, including a former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, backed the Obi-Kwankwaso alliance, other blocs within the coalition threw their weight behind a northern candidacy.
It was further gathered that loyalists of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar resisted calls for zoning to the South and had initially urged Obi to accept the vice-presidential slot. Obi, however, declined and maintained his intention to contest the presidency in 2027.
Following his refusal, Atiku’s camp was said to have opened talks with Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, over a possible alliance.
Beyond the zoning dispute, uncertainty over ongoing legal tussles within the ADC hierarchy reportedly heightened tension among stakeholders.
The Supreme Court had earlier directed parties to maintain the status quo, retaining the leadership of David Mark, while referring the matter back to the Federal High Court for further proceedings.
The development, coupled with concerns over provisions in the new Electoral Act, reportedly triggered anxiety within Obi’s camp, which believed time was running out to secure a favourable political platform.
Analysts within the coalition also noted that Obi’s public declaration of a single-term ambition may have influenced internal calculations, with some stakeholders viewing a southern presidency as a strategic pathway for northern aspirants, including Kwankwaso, in subsequent elections.
Despite the crisis, the ADC maintained that its coalition remained intact.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, insisted that the platform was still open to all stakeholders and had not taken sides in the dispute.
Breaking his silence, Obi attributed his decision to quit the party to worsening internal crises, external interference, and what he described as a hostile political climate.
In a statement issued by his media aide, Valentine Obienyem, Obi clarified that his exit was not borne out of personal grievances against party leaders, including David Mark and Atiku Abubakar, whom he said he still held in high regard.
He, however, lamented increasing divisions, legal uncertainties, and the infiltration of destabilising forces within the party, noting that the challenges mirrored those he had previously encountered in the Labour Party.
Obi also decried what he described as a political environment marked by intimidation, insecurity, and suspicion towards individuals committed to genuine public service.
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress criticised Obi’s defection, describing him as a serial party switcher driven by ambition ahead of the next general elections.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, accused the former governor of lacking commitment to party-building, alleging that he had moved across multiple platforms in search of an easy presidential ticket.