The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo (SAN), has launched a blistering attack on the African Democratic Congress (ADC) following the defection of 2023 Labour Party Presidential candidate, Peter Obi, accusing the party of lacking clarity on zoning its presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 general elections.

In a statement shared on social media, Keyamo declared that there was “no hiding place for the opposition, just like there is no hiding place for the ruling party,” insisting that political scrutiny must continue without compromise.

Keyamo alleged that the ADC is deliberately avoiding zoning its presidential ticket because, according to him, the party is controlled by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

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“The ADC is scared to clearly zone its presidential ticket, like the other major parties (PDP and APC) have done, because the party belongs to one man called Atiku Abubakar,” Keyamo stated.

He argued that the ADC has fallen into the same trap the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) entered ahead of the 2023 elections when it failed to zone its presidential ticket, a decision he described as “disastrous” and one from which the party is still struggling to recover.

According to the minister, zoning is a non-negotiable political principle in a country as diverse and sensitive as Nigeria, warning that any party with national ambition must clearly define its zoning arrangement.

He referenced the All Progressives Congress (APC), noting that its governors agreed on zoning in 2023, a move he said directly contributed to the party’s electoral success.

“In a highly sensitive country like Nigeria, any pan-Nigerian party must be clear as to zoning,” he said.

Keyamo further accused Atiku Abubakar of attempting to “camouflage” by aligning with Peter Obi in order to harvest Obi’s voter base and clinch the presidency through what he described as a “flawed template.”

He warned that such a strategy could endanger Nigeria’s fragile national unity.

The aviation minister also accused Peter Obi of supporting the ADC arrangement for personal ambition, alleging that Obi was willing to compromise national interest in exchange for a possible vice-presidential slot.

“Peter Obi is supporting this contraption for selfish reasons, throwing the entire country under the bus for a mess of pottage called a VP ticket,” Keyamo claimed.

Keyamo did not spare Obi’s supporters, describing them as “naive” and cautioning that they were being misled by experienced political figures.

“They will all come back to thank us later after the disaster to which they are all heading,” he added.