Ahead of the 2027 general elections, publisher of Ovation magazine, Dele Momodu, has cautioned the African Democratic Congress (ADC) against internal divisions that could derail the opposition coalition’s chances against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Gatekeepers News reports that in a post on X on Tuesday, Momodu reflected on his participation in a 2025 opposition meeting in Abuja, where several political groups converged around the ADC as a platform to challenge the 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.”
However, he warned that emerging tensions within the coalition could threaten its unity.
“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?” he asked.
Momodu stressed that the ADC must enforce internal discipline early to avoid a repeat of the internal conflicts that weakened the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), referencing how former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike consolidated power within the party.
“ADC should be a party of love and not a Fuji house of commotion,” he said.
His warning comes amid renewed clarifications from the Obidient Movement Worldwide, which has firmly rejected suggestions that its leader, Peter Obi, would accept a vice-presidential role in any coalition arrangement.
The movement insisted that Obi, a former Anambra State governor who recently defected from the Labour Party to the ADC, is only being supported for the presidency in 2027.
The Guardian reports that Obi had earlier left the PDP for the Labour Party ahead of the 2023 general elections, where he emerged as the party’s presidential candidate.
Speaking on Eagle 102.5 FM’s Frontline programme, the National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, Dr Tanko Yunusa, dismissed claims that Obi’s alignment with the ADC signalled subservience to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar or other political heavyweights.
“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 leader capable of offering what the movement terms a “moral solution” to Nigeria’s governance challenges, citing priorities such as economic discipline, improved security, and sustainable fuel subsidy reforms.
On foreign relations, Yunusa said Obi would engage both Nigerians and the international community with respect and diplomacy.
“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,” he said.
Addressing criticisms over Obi’s movement across political parties, Yunusa argued that structural challenges within the Labour Party made his defection unavoidable.
“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 added that Obi’s decision to join the ADC followed wide consultations with groups advocating national reform, noting that young Nigerians remain central to the process.
“Ordinarily, Peter Obi would flow with the people who are calling for him,” he said, describing youths as “the deciders” of Obi’s political future.
Responding to questions about a possible vice-presidential slot, Yunusa reiterated that Obi would not accept such a role.
“Politics has no permanent enemies, only permanent interests. The interest here is good governance, and Peter Obi represents that,” he said.
He also reaffirmed Obi’s one-term pledge, stating that if elected in 2027, Obi would complete the remaining four years of the South’s turn and hand over power to the North.
“This demonstrates credibility and national unity,” Yunusa said.
The Obidient Movement said it remains committed to a transparent ADC presidential primary and warned that it would act collectively with Obi if the process is compromised, underscoring its insistence on party discipline and coalition cohesion as the 2027 elections draw closer.
