The African Democratic Congress has downplayed the defection of former presidential candidates Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso from the party, describing their exit as a minor setback.
The party said it had since stabilised and remained committed to strengthening opposition politics ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking during an interview on Arise Television’s Morning Show on Wednesday, the National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the party had moved beyond the departure of the two politicians.
Obi and Kwankwaso recently dumped the ADC for the Nigerian Democratic Congress, citing internal disputes and lingering court cases within the party.
Reacting to the development, Abdullahi said the defections would not derail the party’s broader political objectives.
“Peter Obi and Kwankwaso moving from the ADC was a glitch. We have moved on from it,” he stated.
According to him, the party remains focused on confronting what it described as worsening governance challenges in the country while also promoting a stronger multi-party democratic system.
“We have stabilised and moved forward because the objective remains the same — stopping the steady deterioration of governance in the country and strengthening multi-party democracy,” he said.
The ADC spokesman added that efforts to build a formidable opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 elections were still ongoing despite recent political realignments.
“While some have moved to other parties and others remain in ADC, the broader vision of building a strong opposition coalition is still very much alive within the current political dynamics,” Abdullahi added.
