The Leader of the Obidients Movement, Yunusa Tanko, has revealed that the former Anambra State Governor and 2023 Labour Party (LP) Presidential candidate, Peter Obi, chose Enugu State for his defection to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) because the South‑East wants to make a statement that will shape the 2027 polls.
In a chat with Vanguard, Tanko disclosed that leaders and members of the Obidient Movement, who bolstered Obi’s 2023 presidential bid, were already in Enugu, the South‑East zonal capital, ahead of the defection event.
He said Obi had been a member of the ADC coalition all the while, and that the event is to chart the way forward for his numerous supporters.
Asked why Obi chose Enugu instead of Awka in Anambra State for the defection, Tanko said, “Enugu is the historical capital of the East; it adds historical solidity when the East wants to make a statement.
“The programme tomorrow (today) is for Mr. Obi to chart the way forward for his numerous supporters across the country ahead of the 2027 elections. The leader is speaking to us tomorrow. The Obidient Movement is here to give their support. I am just leaving the Obidient Movement headquarters. We are here in our numbers.”
A national leader of the ADC told Vanguard that the party’s top brass would be present to welcome Obi.
“We are excited. The National Chairman of the ADC and other leaders are likely to be there,” he said. The event is billed to take place at Nike Lake Hotel, Enugu.
Earlier in the week, Obi declared his readiness to contest the 2027 presidential poll, saying he is “the best prepared for the job.” His defection follows months of speculation.
A leading figure in the Obidient Movement said, “Obi’s decision to move to the ADC was a hard one but inevitable because the ADC platform is perhaps the only one that is yet to be infiltrated by President Bola Tinubu and his All Progressives Congress (APC).”
He described the ADC as the only platform with men and women who have the capacity to pose a real challenge to APC’s dominance.
He added that Obi will be moving into the ADC with a full complement of serving federal and state lawmakers and political heavyweights from across Nigeria to boost his bargaining power.
He said, “In the game of politics, you must be willing to compromise here and there to get what you want.”
Another ADC chieftain said, “Obi, like any other Nigerian, is welcome to join us. Our doors are wide open and our candidate selection process will be transparent.”
However, not everyone is convinced Obi’s decision is timely.
One such voice is Dr. Katch Onanuju, who describes himself as a pioneer leader of the Obidient Movement.
“I have heard and can confirm that Mr Peter Obi has made up his mind to join the ADC. My take is this: he has been cornered by a few persons to agree to what some of us think will eventually end his political career,” Onanuju said.
He lamented that Obi did not consider moving into another party early enough and suggested that the Labour Party had been hijacked by anti‑democratic forces acting at the behest of the APC.
He added, “He will be joining the ADC a little bit late because there are already entrenched interests, as we know, who will rather destroy the platform than give the party ticket to Obi. We can only wish him the best of luck in his new journey.”