The spokesman of the African Democratic Congress, Bolaji Abdullahi, has alleged that former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, once threatened to leave the opposition coalition over concerns that the party leadership was favouring former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
Abdullahi made the claim during an interview with Symfoni TV on Thursday, amid ongoing conversations around internal power dynamics within the opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to him, Amaechi had approached the party’s national chairman over what he perceived as preferential treatment being given to Obi within the coalition.
“There was a time that His Excellency Rotimi Amaechi went to the national chairman and was threatening to leave the coalition,” Abdullahi said.
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“He felt that the chairman was pandering to Peter Obi, that he was conceding everything to Peter Obi.”
The ADC spokesman, however, dismissed suggestions that Obi had been marginalised within the coalition, insisting that the former Anambra State governor had been given significant influence within the party structure.
Abdullahi disclosed that one of his deputies was nominated by Obi, while the position of National Organising Secretary was also ceded to Obi’s camp as part of efforts to integrate him into the coalition.
He added that the decision cost former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, who had reportedly been working towards securing the role before Obi joined the alliance.
“Before Peter Obi joined the coalition, you had people like Osita Chidoka working very hard for coalition building. He was hoping to be the National Organising Secretary,” Abdullahi said.
“But when Peter Obi came, in order to bring him in and give him a sense of belonging, that’s how we lost Osita Chidoka because we gave that position to Peter Obi to nominate.”
According to Abdullahi, Obi was also allowed to nominate other individuals into party structures as part of broader political concessions aimed at strengthening the coalition.
He defended the move, describing politics as “a game of addition.”
“The more people we are able to lock in, and if we have to make some concessions that are not going to kill anybody, then we have to make those concessions,” he said.
Abdullahi maintained that Obi had no reason to complain about marginalisation or a toxic political environment within the coalition.
