A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Kenneth Okonkwo, has claimed that the party was never surprised by the eventual exit of Peter Obi, insisting that the former Labour Party presidential candidate was uncomfortable with internal party contests.
Speaking during an interview on Arise Television on Wednesday, Okonkwo said leaders within the coalition had earlier sought his opinion on the ADC’s chances in the Southeast before the alliance was formally unveiled.
“I was consulted in this coalition, and that was before the unveiling, they asked me, so how is the possibility of ADC performing in the Southeast? I told them plainly and straight away, don’t build anything on Peter Obi,” he said.
The former spokesperson for Obi’s presidential campaign argued that his prediction was based on what he described as Obi’s long-standing reluctance to participate in party primaries.
According to Okonkwo, Obi has consistently avoided competitive internal elections throughout his political career. He alleged that the former Anambra State governor had concerns about engaging in open contests within the ADC, a situation he claimed contributed to his decision to leave the party.
Okonkwo further accused Obi’s supporters of resisting democratic procedures within political parties, stating that such tendencies created tension within the ADC’s structure.
He also revisited Obi’s time in the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), alleging that Obi once lost a primary election but later secured the party’s governorship ticket through the intervention of party leaders.
The ADC chieftain maintained that the reasons publicly given for Obi’s departure were misleading, insisting the real issue was his unwillingness to face a primary election contest.
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