African Democratic Congress, (ADC) presidential hopefuls have expressed commitment to participate in the elective convention scheduled for later in the year in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

A competent source within the party stated emphatically that the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, (LP), in the last general election and a former governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, has committed to the process where the candidate of the party will eventually emerge to slug it out with incumbent, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, next year.

The party had in a statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi last December announced dates for its congresses that will terminate at its non-elective convention in next year. Abdullahi in the statement stated that the move follows the conclusion of the National Working Committee meeting of the party held on November 27, 2025 and also announced the commencement of a 90-day nationwide membership mobilisation, revalidation, and registration exercise.

According to Abdullahi, the congresses had been provisionally slated to hold between January 20 and 27, 2026 and would culminate in the non-elective National Convention in February 2026 in Abuja but it has been put on hold. Sources in the party told Saturday Telegraph that the suspension of the processes leading to the national convention is due to the need to allow more members into the platform to be able to effectively take part in the convention.

The responsibility for mobilising new members have been vested in a committee set up for that purpose led by Alhaji Kashim Imam who had been moving from one corner of the country to the other. Tagged the Membership Revalidation, Mobilisation, and Registration (MRMR), the committee has served out three weeks out of the allotted four by the leadership of the ADC but feelers from the party indicate that the need to shift the convention itself is still being debated considering the fact that the Muslim fasting, Ramadan month falls into the time it would take place.

A competent source who pleaded not to be named, told our correspondent that all the presidential hopefuls such as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Obi, the immediate past Minister for Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, are expected to slug it for the ticket. “All the candidates have agreed to take part in the elective convention when it would be held.

They have even promised to support whoever emerges at the event in the interest of the country. I can tell you now that all of them and their supporters are on the same page with regards to efforts to rescue the country,” the source said.

When asked if Mr. Obi has agreed to be part of the convention, the source responded with an emphatic Yes!, adding that he has dropped his earlier stance that he should be given the privilege of right of first refusal by the party which he said should hand the ticket to him.

“He has agreed to be part of the process after in tense negotiations and lobbying,” the source said but further added that “Obi is making inroads into areas where he was not popular before and that has however served as a source of hope for him that he could actually win the ticket over and above former Vice President Atiku who many bookmakers tip as being in pole position to pick the ticket.

According to the source, “Obi is steadily getting sup- port from the core North which was hostile to him in the past, and his foot soldiers are doing well to get the needed support for him owing to the thinking that a Southerner must be allowed to square up euth President Bola Tinubu.”

The source further added that as a means of getting the former governor to remain in the party, some prominent stakeholders in the party have elected to take it upon themselves to extract commitment from former Vice President Atiku to commit to one term of office should he eventually pick the ticket of the party at the convention.

“You can see how Mr. Obi has been busy campaigning for the party in the FCT local council poll. If he hasn’t got the right assurances of equal playing field, I am sure that he won’t be doing that,” the source added.

When contacted on phone, Mallam Abdullahi stated that he would not comment on issues relating to the convention now, but added that Mr. Obi remains a prominent and valued member of the party whose rights are well guaranteed and respected by the party.

“I can’t comment on issues regarding the national convention of our party now. There is no need for that now. I can also tell you that Mr. Peter Obi is a respected member of our party who has the right to vent his presidential aspiration just as other aspirants,” Mallam Abdullahi said.