Chief Ralph Nwosu, the founding chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has disclosed that the departure of Peter Obi from the party reportedly left the party’s National Chairman, Senator David Mark, deeply unsettled.
Speaking during an interview on Symfoni TV, Nwosu said Obi’s exit came as a major disappointment to the party leadership, especially after efforts were made to ensure openness and fairness within the ADC structure.
According to Nwosu, David Mark was particularly affected by the development because of the amount of work and resources the party invested in preparation for Obi’s involvement and anticipated political expansion.
He explained that the party leadership had undertaken significant reforms, including the reconstruction of a new electronic membership registration system, partly in anticipation of a surge in supporters linked to Obi’s political influence.
Nwosu stated, “Peter Obi’s exit rattled our national chairman. I have not seen him since I came back to Nigeria. Because after witnessing the whole system and trying to be as open and as fair as possible, it’s sad to still see Obi leave.
We spent a lot of money to reconstruct the new e-registration system. We were not supposed to spend that money, but we spent it.”
The ADC founder further revealed that Obi personally persuaded members of the party’s National Working Committee to make membership registration free for Nigerians.
According to him, Obi had assured the party leadership that the decision would attract over ten million new members within a short period of time.
However, Nwosu claimed that the actual number of registrations influenced directly by Obi fell far below expectations.
He alleged that the total number of people Obi succeeded in bringing into the party was no more than 300.
The comments add another layer to the ongoing discussions surrounding opposition politics and coalition building ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Obi, who remains one of Nigeria’s most prominent opposition figures, continues to command strong support among many young Nigerians and urban voters despite changing political alignments.
Political observers say the remarks by Nwosu reflect growing tensions and frustrations within opposition circles as parties and political actors attempt to form alliances capable of challenging the ruling All Progressives Congress in future elections.
Although neither Peter Obi nor Senator David Mark has publicly responded to the claims at the time of reporting, the statements have already sparked debate among supporters and critics across social media platforms, with many questioning the accuracy of the figures mentioned by the ADC founder.
