Bolaji Abdullahi, national publicity secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), says Rotimi Amaechi, former minister of transportation, once threatened to quit the party over what he described as the “pampering” of Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP).
Abdullahi spoke during an interview with Symfoni TV via
YouTube on Thursday.
The ADC spokesperson was reacting to Obi’s claim that
“internal battles, endless court cases and uncertainties over the party’s
future” informed his decision to leave the party on May 3 for the Nigeria
Democratic Congress (NDC), alongside Rabiu Kwankwaso, ex-governor of Kano.
Abdullahi said Obi lacks the moral standing to make such a
claim against the ADC, noting that he enjoyed more privileges than any other
opposition coalition leader during his time in the party.
He added that the preferential treatment accorded Obi once
prompted Amaechi to complain to David Mark, the ADC national chairman, accusing
the party leadership of making too many concessions to the former governor of
Anambra.
“There was a time Amaechi went to ADC national chairman
David Mark and was threatening to leave the party because the ADC was pampering
Peter Obi and that he was conceding everything to Obi,” Abdullahi said.
“I had two deputies under me, and one was nominated by Peter
Obi. Amaechi and Atiku can’t point at anybody they nominated in the NWC. The
national organising secretary was a Peter Obi man.
“Before Obi joined the coalition, we had other people like
Osita Chidoka working hard for the coalition building.
“He was hoping to be the national organising secretary, but
when Obi came, and in order to give him a sense of belonging, we gave that
position to Obi to nominate someone.
“And there are several other people holding party positions
that he nominated. That was how we lost Osita.”
Abdullahi said the ADC leadership deliberately made
concessions to Obi, believing that inclusiveness was necessary for coalition
politics.
“Many questioned why we gave Obi such privileges, but it’s
because we recognised that politics is a game of additions, and if we have to
make some concessions that are not going to kill anybody, then we have to make
them,” he said.
“So, if anybody should be complaining of a toxic environment
or marginalisation within the party, I don’t think it should be Obi.”
He further dismissed claims that the ADC is being controlled
by former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.
“Obi and Kwankwaso probably yielded to the propaganda that
ADC is an Atiku party. That is simply not true,” he said.
Abdullahi also criticised the current administration,
accusing governors of “criminal diversion” of federal allocation funds for
President Tinubu’s re-election campaign.
“Governors are diverting funds from the federation account
for a presidential campaign. That is a shameless and criminal act,” he said.
He further criticised the judiciary, alleging that some
government agents had compromised public trust in the institution.
“Some government agents have turned the judiciary into a
disgrace. The people no longer trust it — they see it as an extension of the
federal government,” he said.
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