Kenneth Okonkwo, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has urged supporters of a former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, to join the party, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Okonkwo said Obidients who had yet to join the ADC were “disObidients”.
“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.
“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 said on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Friday.
Okonkwo, who sang praises for the ADC during the interview, said the opposition, as the “vehicle of good people,” had the backing of 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 the recent defection of Obi to the party, the lawyer said he would work with whoever emerged from the primary as the ADC presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
The chietain, who is a member of the national working committee of the ADC, however, said the party had yet to take a decision on zoning of the presidential ticket.
“He [Obi] 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,” Okonkwo stated.
