The senator representing Anambra Central at the National Assembly, Senator Victor Umeh has confirmed that he resigned from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) on 1st May and declared that his political destination is the NDC, following a wave of defections linked to the ongoing coalition realignment, especially Obi-Kwankwaso’s.

“I’ve resigned from the ADC since the 1st of May. And tomorrow you’ll hear more about it. NDC? That’s the destination,” he declared.

Speaking with ARISE NEWS in an interview on Monday, Senator Umeh explained that the coalition, which initially began with widespread optimism and public support, gradually became affected by internal legal disputes and political tensions that slowed its momentum.

“When the coalition came together on the 2nd of July last year, it came with a lot of hope. People came together and Nigerians celebrated that people who can actually stand firm to put their feet down to offer Nigerians new hope have come together. And along the line, legal twists were introduced in the matter,” he said

He noted that the coalition’s formation was preceded by a due diligence process, insisting that at the time of its unveiling on 2nd July 2025, there were no pending litigations affecting the party’s structure.

“No, there were no pending litigations when the coalition came together. A committee was appointed to do due diligence check on the party, and at the time the coalition came together and unveiled itself on the 2nd of July 2025, there was no pending case.”

Speaking on party movement in Nigeria, Senator Umeh said politicians often switch parties because institutions are weak and unstable, making it hard to stay when parties become unclear or troubled.

“Let me tell you: movement from party to party happens in Nigeria because of the lack of stability in our politics. Political parties in Nigeria have not developed to the level of exercising control over its members. What we faced in the ADC is a conscious effort to make people run away from the party. You will not be there to actualize your objective. When the party becomes murky, you cannot remain there,” Umeh said.

Responding to claims that Peter Obi may be seeking easier access to a presidential ticket, he rejected the suggestion, describing Obi as a principled figure who avoids transactional politics and refuses to engage in money-driven party processes.

“Mr. Peter Obi, when you interview him, he’ll tell you he will never take part in transactional politics. That is a mark of integrity and principle.”

He added that Obi’s political decisions are consistent with his personal values, arguing that his repeated exits from parties reflect discomfort with compromised systems rather than a lack of ideological direction.

“He’s known to be like that. Somebody who has very great fiscal discipline. Peter doesn’t waste money. So if he’s operating in a system where everything is monetized, and he sees it’s going in a wrong direction. He can excuse himself. So that’s what he has done repeatedly,” he explained.

On whether proper assessment was not done before the coalition was formed, Senator Umeh said the ADC brought together politicians from diverse backgrounds without a clearly defined leadership structure, adding that the alliance was expected to refine itself over time and produce a credible, unified candidate for elections.

“No, it was an amalgamation of all comers. People came from all backgrounds, all politicians were there. You cannot identify ADC with any exceptional leadership skill of anybody. Everybody who was wearing agbada and known politician who has played it big in Nigeria, everybody came to the same place. And you cannot hold anybody really accountable. And we hoped that as the coalition progressed, we’d be able to separate the wheat from the chaff. Things would fall in place, and the coalition would be able to discover in its midst someone they can actually present to Nigerians to be able to win an election.”

Responding to concerns that the ADC failed to properly manage internal expectations before its crisis, Umeh suggested that signs of imbalance were already visible within the coalition.

“The signs were there. I was also in the party. So you don’t need to tell somebody who is wise enough to know when the odds are piling against him,” he noted.

On reports suggesting a possible legal challenge against the NDC, Senator Umeh said there is currently no case pending in any Nigerian court against the party, stressing that talk of its registration being voided is unfounded.

“As at this moment, there’s no legal action pending in any court in Nigeria against the NDC. A threat, a potential is nothing until it is realized,” he stressed. (AriseNews TV, excluding headline)

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