Obi/Kwankwaso ticket can’t fly, says Mark-led NWC member
Those pushing for a joint African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential ticket for former governors Peter Obi (Anambra) and Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano) got a shocker yesterday. The Obi/Kwankwaso cannot take the
Those pushing for a joint African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential ticket for former governors Peter Obi (Anambra) and Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano) got a shocker yesterday.
The Obi/Kwankwaso cannot take the opposition to the State House. Only a combination anchored by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Obi as the running mate will give the ADC the desired result, they were told.
Deputy National Financial Secretary of the David Mark-led National Working Committee (NWC) of the ADC, Fabiyi Oladimeji, ruled out the possibility of an electoral victory with Obi/Kwankwaso ticket.
Fabiyi, who spoke during a television interview monitored in Abuja, said while the opposition coalition remains committed to presenting a single candidate for the 2027 presidential election, electoral realities favour a ticket built around Atiku and Obi.
He argued that the voting strength demonstrated in the 2023 general election shows that an Obi/Kwankwaso pairing would fall short of the numbers required to defeat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“Even Kwankwaso and Obi cannot give us the number, I am sorry to say this. The best number is Atiku and Obi,” Fabiyi said.
He explained that the combined votes of Atiku, Obi and Kwankwaso in the last election significantly surpassed that of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, stressing that a united front remains the opposition’s strongest path to power.
“The total votes for the three of them was about 14 to 15 million, while the President got about eight million. If these forces come together, Nigerians will see the difference,” Fabiyi said.
He, however, maintained that the final decision on the presidential ticket would rest with the party leadership and would be determined through either consensus or a transparent primary process guided by party rules and the Electoral Act.
Expressing confidence that all aspirants would abide by the outcome, noting that key political figures within the coalition have already demonstrated willingness to support whoever emerges as the flag bearer.
“Atiku has said he will support whoever emerges. Amaechi has said the same thing. We are expecting Peter Obi to also make that commitment because this is not about personal ambition; it is about rescuing the country,” he said.
The ADC chieftain dismissed concerns about internal divisions within the party, insisting that its structure across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory remains intact and under the control of its recognised leadership.
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He also rejected claims that the party had been hijacked by new entrants, describing such assertions as baseless and driven by individuals who, according to him, are no longer members of the party.
On the feasibility of a unified opposition candidate, Fabiyi said the coalition had already made significant progress, contrary to skepticisms from the ruling party.
“When the coalition idea started, they said it would not last three months. Then, six months, then one year, now it is almost two years and we are still moving forward. That tells you something has changed,” he said.
Fabiyi added that ideological differences and competing interests among coalition members were being addressed, with a shared commitment to national interest serving as the binding force.
“All of these issues will be worked out. What brings everyone together is not personal ambition but the need to rescue Nigeria,” he said.
On the mode of selecting the party’s presidential candidate, Fabiyi said the ADC would adhere strictly to its constitution, with options ranging from consensus to direct primaries.
“There are rules and guidelines that will guide the process. If consensus fails, we go for primaries, and those rules will be followed,” he stated.
Acknowledging the importance of voter appeal and electoral strength, he said the party would consider multiple factors in choosing its candidate, including experience, national spread and capacity to unite the country.
