OK Movement Explains Alleged Obi, Kwankwaso Exit From ADC

The Abuja Coordinator of Obi-Kwankwaso Movement, Jabir Ibrahim Yaro, has explained why ex-Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi and ex-Governor of Kano State, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso left the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

In an interview with Daily Post, Yaro said their departure was due to internal crises in the ADC, alleged external interference and strategic political calculations ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Yaro said that opposition parties in Nigeria were facing serious challenges under the present administration.

“First of all, as you know, opposition parties in Nigeria are in trouble or danger because of the current administration because there is no single opposition party, as it is now, that is clean without any internal crisis,” he said.

He said the ADC and other opposition parties were in crises due to machinations of powerful forces.

He said, “And we all know it is the people behind all the crises of the opposition parties, including the ADC.”

Yaro also cited the recent Supreme Court judgment on the ADC leadership dispute as reasons Obi and Kwankwaso left the party.

He said sending the case back to the Federal High Court was a risky decision.

“Secondly, you should know that the recent judgment of the Supreme Court is a trap,” he said. This is just my opinion. I’m not a barrister but it is a trap because the Supreme Court sent the case back to the Federal High Court.

“I don’t trust the lower court process and there is interference in the judiciary,” Yaro said.

‘In fact, a minister is said to be controlling the High Court,’ he said.

He also alleged that the judges had been gifted things by the authorities.

“They recently built houses for them in the FCT, they gave them land, you know, they bought cars for them and the rest.

“Under their watch there is no way you should be expecting something positive to come out of the Federal High Court.

‘ADC Promises Unfulfilled’
Yaro said internal problems within the ADC also led to the decision to leave.

“The coalition had promised transparent processes, including direct primaries or consensus in the first place,” he said.

“Then there are internal crises in the ADC, secondly,” he said. From day one of this coalition they made it very clear that everything would be transparent.

“They claimed there would be direct primaries, that there would be transparent primaries or consensus.

However, he said the promises were not kept.

“But as we are going, we have learnt that there is a person who is trying to hijack the party and stop everybody from expressing their own interests,” he said.

But Yaro said Obi and his supporters were only interested in running for president and would not accept a vice-presidential position.

“We are not prepared to accept any vice-presidential post, he said. We are going to run for the presidency.”

Asked if the position was selfish, he said: “It is not selfish.

Obi had a lot of grassroots support and had inspired many Nigerians to get involved in politics, he said.

“You know that in 2023 many people died because of Peter Obi. They died for his ambitions.

‘He’s the reason why a lot of people are in politics,’ he said.

‘South Must Complete Tenure’
Yaro also argued that the power should remain within the South in keeping with the regional balance.

“It is the turn of Southern Nigeria,” he said. “Let them finish out their term.”

He accused one of the aspirants in the coalition of always talking about the need to win the presidential ticket.

“The same guy that’s trying to get the ADC ticket, is the same guy that every election cycle that is saying that he must get that ticket.

“If that’s the case, he can’t win an election. Why does it have to be him all the time? “Why doesn’t he support these people?” he said.

The coordinator of the OK Movement also played down the position of the vice-president in Nigeria’s political system, describing it as mostly ceremonial.

We all know that the VP is just a ceremonial post in this country,” he said.

“Look what is going on now. It’s ceremonial, only.

“Up till now, since Tinubu became president, they’ve never handed over this country to the vice president.