Public affairs analyst Jide Ojo stated that Peter Obi may leave the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for another party ahead of the 2027 elections if he fails to secure the party’s presidential ticket.
Ojo made the remarks during an interview, suggesting that Atiku Abubakar could outspend Obi, especially if ADC conducts indirect primaries.
“Rumour mill has it that Atiku has been a very good benevolent spender when it comes to party primaries,” he said on Wednesday.
“Assuming, without conceding that in a free and fair primaries in ADC Atiku emerges, I can see Peter Obi likely going to leave the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for another party.”
Ojo also noted that Obi, a former Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, has generated excitement within the opposition.
“I watched the live transmission of his former defection from the Labour Party to ADC on December 31, 2025, and on that day, at least about four senators from the Southeast, about 16 House of Representatives members from the Southeast, and an indeterminable number of State House of Assembly members said they were defecting with him.
“When Atiku Abubakar defected weeks before, toward the end of November, I didn’t see any serving lawmaker or governor defecting with him,” he added.
Ojo also recalled Obi’s commitment to contesting in 2027.
“If somebody says, ‘I will be on the ballot,’ it is only the prime candidate, the candidate of the party that will be given the certificate of return, even though it is the party logo that appears on the ballot.
“What Peter Obi means is that he is not going to play second fiddle,” he added.