As the Presidential primary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) draws nearer, there are strong indications that cracks have begun to appear in the party over the former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi’s presidential ambition.

According to reports, the cracks stemmed from the insistence of Obi’s supporters, identified as Obidients, that he must be considered for the presidential ticket or they walk away.

This development has made some ADC leaders, especially northerners, who are displeased with what they described as the overbearing attitude of Obi’s promoters, begin to withdraw from him.

Obi, who is one of the leaders of the opposition coalition that transformed into ADC, joined the party on December 31, 2025, in Enugu State.

Before his defection, Obi, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, had promised to serve a single term if elected president.

He also entered into alliance discussions with the national leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, Rabiu Kwankwaso, who is being invited to the ADC to run on a joint ticket.

His followers, especially members of the Obidient Movement who joined the ADC from the Labour Party, have been insisting that he must be considered for the presidential ticket, arguing that the South deserves to rule the country for eight years before power returns to the North.

One of the staunch loyalists and drivers of Obi’s presidential ambition, Aisha Yesufu, vowed to work against the ADC if he runs as a vice-presidential candidate.

Yesufu, in a viral video a few days after Obi’s defection, said, “Let me go back to the Mr Peter Obi conversation where people are like, ‘you should run as vice president.’ Me, and I’m giving you people my word now… if Peter Obi is running with anyone as the vice president, as the running mate to that person, I will work against that ticket.

“In my little capacity, I will work against that ticket. Even if I don’t support any other person, I will work against that ticket.”

Similarly, a professor of political economy, Pat Utomi, said he would withdraw his support for Obi if the former Anambra governor accepted a vice-presidential candidacy.

Utomi, who spoke on January 1 during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme, said, “I can tell you that Peter Obi will contest for the presidency. The day he becomes somebody’s vice president, I walk away from his corner.”

Speaking with Sunday Punch on condition of anonymity, a leader of the ADC in Abuja said some of the party’s stakeholders had developed cold feet.

The source said, “If you ask me about division, I will tell you there is none. But are we worried about what is playing out between Atiku and Obi’s supporters? Yes.

“Some of us know that the way they are driving their interests may jeopardise the party’s chances in 2027. While some leaders are drawing parallel lines along the two camps, some of us are threading the path of caution.”

Confirming the party’s concern over the development, a former National Chairman of the ADC, Ralph Nwozu, said party leaders were worried about the turn of events, noting that those causing division in the party were a small fraction of Obi’s supporters.

Nwozu maintained that the former governor was committed to the unity of the party.

He said, “All the leaders, all critical stakeholders in the party, have advised their supporters to unite and build the party first. I was with Peter Obi yesterday (Friday), and he showed me the minutes of some of the Obidient meetings that he participated in, and he was very emphatic that this is about the country, not an individual.

“More than 60 per cent of some of the things you see being posted and said in the name of the Obidients, you will be surprised to see that the people behind them are not even members of the ADC.

“They are groups of people put together to continue to discredit ADC to ensure that the chance of opposition parties in Nigeria is dead.

“We can see some people who may be so carried away by emotion in Obi’s camp at this time, but they wouldn’t be up to five per cent. Yes, we are worried, and it is important because we are all interested in building the party. I can assure you that the outcome of the party’s primaries will not cause any division in the party.”

Similarly, the National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, Bolaji Abdullahi, said people with the mindset that a particular aspirant must be the party’s candidate were causing division.

He warned that such could undermine the party’s chances of victory in the 2027 elections.

Abdullahi, who spoke during the virtual ADC Coalition Hours on Saturday, said he had met with stakeholders to emphasise the importance of unity and collective commitment to secure victory in the upcoming elections.