Public affairs analyst Jide Ojo says Peter Obi could quit the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for another party ahead of the 2027 general election if he fails to secure the party’s presidential ticket.
Ojo made the claim on Wednesday, January 21, during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, arguing that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar may have the financial edge, especially if the ADC adopts indirect primaries.
“Rumour mill has it that Atiku has been a very good benevolent spender when it comes to party primaries.
“Assuming, without conceding that in a free and fair primaries in ADC Atiku emerges, I can see Peter Obi likely going to leave the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for another party,” Ojo said.
He also alleged that Atiku is positioning himself to influence who becomes the party’s flagbearer, starting that, “which is why there are fears in certain quarters that he may outspend Peter Obi, particularly if they are going to conduct indirect primaries.
Still, Ojo said Obi’s entry into the coalition being built around the ADC has energised the opposition, noting the scale of defections he said followed Obi’s move.
“I watched the live transmission of his former defection from the Labour Party to ADC on December 31, 2025, and on that day, at least about four senators from the Southeast, about 16 House of Representatives members from the Southeast, and an indeterminable number of State House of Assembly members said they were defecting with him.
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“When Atiku Abubakar defected weeks before, toward the end of November, I didn’t see any serving lawmaker or governor defecting with him,” he added.
Ojo further recalled that Obi has insisted he intends to contest in 2027 and suggested that stance rules out any subordinate role.
“If somebody says, ‘I will be on the ballot,’ it is only the prime candidate, the candidate of the party that will be given the certificate of return, even though it is the party logo that appears on the ballot.
“What Peter Obi means is that he is not going to play second fiddle,’ he said.
FIRST DAILY recalls that Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, defected to the ADC on December 31, 2025, ahead of the 2027 polls.
Atiku, the Peoples Democratic Party’s flagbearer in the 2023 election, also moved to the ADC in November 2025.
Both politicians are among the leading figures expected to contest for the ADC’s presidential ticket for the next election.