A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Kenneth Okonkwo, has urged supporters of former Anambra State Governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to formally join the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Okonkwo said Obi’s supporters, popularly known as Obidients, who have not registered with the ADC should no longer consider themselves part of the movement.
“When I was in the Labour Party, I said it was a tactical mistake telling your followers they can join all political parties, and I’m very glad that my brother, Peter Obi, has changed the tactic,” Okonkwo said.
“If you listen to his interview on X space, he said all the Obidients should go and register as members of the ADC. So if you are an Obidient and you’re not in the ADC, sorry, you’re not an Obidient, you are a disObidient.”
He described the ADC as a credible opposition platform and a “vehicle of good people,” insisting that the party currently enjoys strong backing in the South-East.
“Anybody you see in the ADC is allowed to get into the ADC on one condition: you must be a true democrat. One thing ADC will not compromise on is internal democracy and living on the tenets of democracy,” he said.
“No leader, no opposition leader was allowed to give conditions before entering because we want to exercise discipline. So that is why everybody took their time to come to ADC because we want that foundation to be solid.
“Now, the South-East has gone ADC, as I said, they will. Any other politician who is not in the ADC, who wants to do any other party, is working for Tinubu,” he added.
While welcoming Peter Obi’s defection to the party, Okonkwo said he would support whoever emerges as the ADC’s presidential candidate in 2027.
“He is an ADC member. We work with every ADC member.
“Rest assured, whoever emerges as the presidential candidate of the ADC, I will work for the person. I don’t have any personal rift with any person,” he stated.
Okonkwo, who is also a member of the ADC National Working Committee, noted that the party is yet to make a final decision on the zoning of its presidential ticket.
