Former presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Prof. Pat Utomi, said Mr. Peter Obi is under pressure to leave the party because the leadership is reluctant to commit to zoning.
News making the rounds over the weekend said Obi, who was presidential candidate of Labour Party in 2023, and his New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) partner, Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, will join the National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Monday. But Utomi, who spoke to Sunday Telegraph from the United States of America, said it was still in the realm of speculation.
Said he: “It is not to my knowledge that the decision has been made but what we do know is that the general plan is that if he is willing to leave, he will probably leave with the Kwakwanso crowd and construct a new order.” Almost all the major political parties have zoned their presidential ticket to the South.
The ADC is yet to make a pronouncement on the issue even before its leadership crisis began. This is probably not to injure the feelings of former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who is equally interested in the ticket. Atiku, who is from Adamawa State, North East Nigeria, was candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2023.
He said the 2027 election will be his last. Utomi disclosed that a number of polls have shown that if ADC conduct direct primaries, Obi “will beat Atiku hands down,” and believed that Obi should stay in ADC and fight for the ticket.
He, however, noted that the All Progressives Congress (APC) led Federal Government was still doing everything to stop ADC from participating in the 2027 general elections. Though the Supreme Court, last Thursday, restored ADC leadership to Senator David Mark-led National Working Committee (NWC), the apex court failed to give a declaratory judgement.
Instead, the case was referred to the High Court. Even before the apex court judgement, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, had approached the court, seeking ADC’s deregistration. Utomi said there were worries that Obi might be trapped in ADC, thus, preventing him from being on the ballot paper.
“So, there has been pressure in the last three days for a new strategy,” he said, adding, “there have been timelines and there has been intrigues he will be trapped into ADC, especially as ADC leadership has not been able to commit to using zoning to thin down the list (of presidential aspirants). “So that pressure is very much on, coming from many quarters.”
Utomi disclosed that several groups have met with Atiku but there have been no positive response from him. He said Atiku may try to be a statesman and declare to support for another person for ADC ticket or he may decide to run.
“So, depending on where he goes, he will push himself into how history will judge him as a permanent spoiler, or as a man who became father of the nation; he has a choice,” he said.
Prof. Utomi admitted that if Obi and Atiku run on different tickets, they will divide their votes, but added that, “there can be enough votes for Obi/ Kwankwaso.” He disclosed that he is leading an initiative to create a Big Tent Manifesto, which will be launched on June 1.
