The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has dismissed speculations suggesting that former Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, would be ineligible to contest for the ADC’s presidential ticket in the 2027 general elections.
The interim National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, confirmed that Peter Obi remains a key figure within the opposition coalition and has been granted a “special concession” by the party to retain his LP membership — at least temporarily.
There had been rising speculation that Obi, who has openly aligned himself with the ADC in recent months, would be disqualified from the party’s primary race unless he formally resigned from the LP.
This debate intensified following formal resignations by other prominent figures in the opposition coalition, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former APC presidential aspirant Rotimi Amaechi.
However, Mallam Abdullahi explained that Obi’s continued affiliation with the LP was a strategic move.
“Peter Obi is part of the Coalition. He and Mallam Nasir El-Rufai were given special concessions by the party because their followers were given tickets to contest elections,” he told Nigerian Tribune.
According to him, the ADC allowed Obi to remain with the LP because several of his loyalists are contesting the upcoming Anambra State governorship election on the LP platform.
A similar waiver was granted to former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, who is backing candidates running in federal constituency bye-elections under the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
“The understanding is that since their followers had secured tickets in LP and SDP, they stay back until the processes are completed. They will be allowed to join fully after the elections,” Abdullahi added.