Presidency carpets Obi over defection

By Jude Opara

The Presidency on Sunday came hard on the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party following his reported defection from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), to the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), describing the development as indicative of opportunism and an aversion to tough electoral contests.
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, made the remarks in a post on his X (formerly Twitter) handle, dismissed Obi’s reasons for leaving the party.
Onanuga described Obi’s reasons as “illogical musings” and a “self-serving letter to his mob”, even as he accused him to of political opportunism.
The presidential Spokesman also characterised the former Anambra state governor as “a politician made of jelly”, alleging that he avoids tough political contests.
According to Onanuga, Obi was afraid of challenging figures such as former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar or former governor of Rivers state, Rotimi Amaechi for a presidential ticket, opting instead for what he described as a more convenient political route, adding that he is nothing but a political nomad.
“The political nomad is on the move again. Ignore all those puerile reasons he gave in these illogical musings, a self-serving letter to his mob. Peter Obi is a politician made of jelly, an opportunistic fellow. He can’t fight Atiku or Amaechi for the ticket of ADC. He pursues the easy road, which will only lead him to doom, like in 2023. He always blames the government without doing any soul-searching of himself. Welcome, Peter, to the 2027 race.”
The Presidency also accused Obi of consistently blaming the government for national challenges without engaging in self-reflection.
Mr Onanuga concluded his remarks by saying, “Welcome, Peter, to the 2027 race.”
It could be recalled that Obi had on Sunday in a message on his verified X handle cited worsening internal crises, external interference, and hostility within the ADC structures as the factors that forced his exit.