Ahead of the 2027 general elections, Dele Momodu, publisher of Ovation, has cautioned African Democratic Congress (ADC) to avoid repeating internal conflicts similar to those experienced in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In a post on X opn Tuesday, Momodu reflected on his attendance at a 2025 gathering in Abuja, where opposition parties coalesced around ADC to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

“I was most elated hearing these beautiful words,” Momodu wrote. “I was happy to see an Army veteran and General David Mark as Chairman, knowing he would brook no nonsense. But in recent time, some groups have introduced aggression and rambunctiousness into a fledgling cooperation. How can a coalition work if some groups insist they must produce the top ticket by donation and coronation, without election or persuasion?”

Momodu warned that ADC must enforce discipline before internal disagreements escalate, citing how former Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, consolidated power within the PDP. “ADC should be a party of love and not a Fuji house of commotion,” he said.

The warning coincides with renewed clarifications from the Obidient Movement Worldwide, which has emphasised that former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, who recently defected from the Labour Party to the ADC, will not serve as a vice-presidential candidate to any politician, asserting that its support is exclusively for his emergence as Nigeria’s president in 2027.

The Guardian reports that Obi had also dumped the PDP for the Labour Party ahead of the 2023 general elections. He later emerged as the party’s presidential standard-bearer in the election.

Also, Obedient Movement’s National Coordinator, Dr. Tanko Yunusa, speaking on Eagle 102.5 FM’s Frontline programme, dismissed speculation that Obi’s alignment with ADC signals deference to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar or other political figures.

“Everybody that was in that particular coalition contributed to that particular coalition with their hard-earned money. Nobody owns that political party, please, and please, don’t get it wrong,” Yunusa said.

He described Obi as a candidate capable of delivering what the Obidient Movement calls a “moral solution” to Nigeria’s leadership challenges, highlighting policy priorities including economic discipline, national security, and sustainable fuel subsidies. Yunusa also outlined Obi’s approach to foreign relations, saying, “The people of Nigeria are the ones that Mr Peter Obi will interface with as a gentleman. And then he will also link up with the international community to ensure that they’ve got that particular respect they desire.”

Addressing criticisms over Obi’s political mobility, Yunusa said structural challenges within the Labour Party necessitated his defection to ADC. “Forces in power deliberately undermined the party’s functionality. If your house is being deliberately set on fire, would you remain inside it? There was a calculated attempt to destroy what was being built,” he said.

Yunusa said that Obi’s decision to join ADC followed consultations with a broad coalition of groups seeking national reform. “Ordinarily, Peter Obi would flow with the people who are calling for him,” he said, noting that young Nigerians involved in the process are “the deciders” of his political trajectory.

Responding to questions on a potential vice-presidential role, Yunusa reaffirmed, “Politics has no permanent enemies, only permanent interests.

The interest here is good governance, and Peter Obi represents that.” He also reiterated Obi’s one-term pledge, saying, “If elected in 2027, Peter Obi would complete the remaining four years for the South and return power to the North. This demonstrates credibility and national unity.”

The Obidient Movement has committed to following a transparent ADC presidential primary and stated it will act collectively with Obi should the process be compromised, signalling continued vigilance over party discipline and coalition cohesion.

As Nigeria approaches the 2027 elections, Obi’s positioning within ADC, alongside warnings from figures like Momodu, underscores the ongoing tension between coalition building, party discipline, and the ambitions of influential political actors in the opposition landscape. (Guardian)

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