A faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), led by its National Chairman, Nafiu Bala, has rejected the reported defection and registration of former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, at the party’s Enugu zonal office.
The group, which claims to be the authentic national leadership of the ADC, said the registration process violated the party’s constitution and established membership guidelines.
Peter Obi had announced his defection to the ADC on Wednesday at an event held at the Nike Lake Resort in Enugu State, where he called on Nigerians and opposition groups to unite under a broad political coalition to address what he described as the country’s economic and democratic challenges.
However, in a New Year statement issued in Abuja, Bala said the party found it necessary to address what he described as misleading information circulating about the ADC’s membership registration procedures.
According to him, the ADC operates strictly under constitutional provisions, which clearly state that new members must register at the ward level within their state of origin or residence.
“The party’s constitution recognises ward-level registration as the only valid entry point into the ADC. Any registration carried out at zonal or national offices is irregular and invalid,” he stated.
Bala explained that after registering at the ward level, prospective members are issued validated membership cards in line with the party’s documentation process. He stressed that the ADC constitution does not permit registration at zonal or national offices.
As a result, the faction distanced itself from Obi’s reported registration at the Enugu zonal office and announced that an investigation had been launched into the alleged breach of procedure.
The group also urged party supporters and the general public to disregard claims suggesting alternative methods of joining the party, reiterating that ward-level registration remains the only recognised process.
The clarification comes a day after the Julius Abure-led National Working Committee of the Labour Party described Obi’s defection to the ADC as a “liberation” for the party, stating that it regretted presenting him as its presidential candidate in the 2023 general election.
The Labour Party said Obi’s exit merely formalised a political separation that had already existed for months amid internal leadership disputes.
