A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, Oladimeji Fabiyi, has alleged that former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, exited the party due to concerns over the growing influence of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar within the opposition bloc.
Fabiyi, who serves as the party’s Deputy National Financial Secretary, made the claim on Tuesday during an appearance on Politics Today, a programme on Channels Television.
He also linked Obi’s exit, alongside that of former Kano State governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, to what he described as a push for a predetermined leadership arrangement within the coalition.
“Peter Obi left the ADC because he was afraid of Atiku Abubakar. Both Obi and Kwankwaso were pushing for what appeared to be a coronation,” he said.
Fabiyi, however, dismissed suggestions that Atiku’s actions contributed negatively to internal party dynamics, insisting that the former vice-president had instead played a unifying role within the opposition.
According to him, Atiku initiated efforts to bring together various opposition figures under a common platform, starting from engagements within the Peoples Democratic Party and extending to other political actors.
“What Atiku did was to mobilise and unify opposition elements. That is leadership. If others are unwilling to support that effort, then he has every right to pursue it,” Fabiyi added.
He stressed that the only viable path to challenging the ruling All Progressives Congress ahead of the 2027 general elections lies in a broad-based coalition of opposition forces.
Fabiyi also cautioned against misinterpreting the intentions behind ongoing political alignments, noting that unity remains critical to mounting a formidable challenge in the next electoral cycle.
