Presidency has slammed Peter Obi for ‘unfairly targeting’ Tinubu over ADC crisis.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that the Presidency of Nigeria has cautioned former Anambra State governor Peter Obi against blaming President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the ongoing crisis within the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The warning was contained in a statement issued on Monday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who described the allegations as baseless and insisted that the turmoil within the opposition party was self-inflicted.
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Onanuga criticised Obi for allegedly abandoning the Labour Party after using it to contest the 2023 presidential election, accusing him of failing to demonstrate leadership in resolving the party’s internal crisis.
According to the presidential aide, Obi instead turned to the Obidient Movement, which he claimed remains more active online than on the ground and has not been transformed into a structured political platform.
“After using the Labour Party to contest the highest office in the country, Obi abandoned it in a classic case of use-and-dump, failing to demonstrate leadership in resolving the party’s crisis,” Onanuga said.
He further alleged that Obi moved to the ADC as a political alternative, describing the party as a “special purpose vehicle” allegedly acquired by former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar from the party’s founder, Ralph Nwosu.
Onanuga said the reported lack of due diligence by the party’s new leadership contributed to the current leadership dispute.
“What connection does President Tinubu have with all this? Absolutely none,” he said.
The presidency advised Obi and his allies to focus on resolving their internal party issues before pursuing the 2027 presidential ticket, warning against what it described as attempts to blackmail the president.
“The fact that Obi came third in 2023 does not guarantee him similar results in 2027,” the statement added.
Onanuga also maintained that President Tinubu, as the incumbent leader, has achievements to present to Nigerians, adding that Obi should first secure a legitimate party platform before criticising the administration.
