Peter Obi has committed political suicide by moving to ADC – Prof Olowofela

Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election, Dr Peter Obi, has committed political suicide by defecting to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Professor Adeniyi Olowofela has said.

Professor Olowofela, the immediate past Federal Character Commissioner representing Oyo State, made the assertion in an exclusive interview with Business Hallmark, saying he was worried about Obi’s political future following his move to the ADC.

According to him, Obi’s defection would not only erode his credibility and relevance but also weaken the confidence reposed in him by his large support base, popularly known as the Obidient Movement.

Olowofela, a former chairman of Ido Local Government Area in Oyo State and a former Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology under the late Governor Abiola Ajimobi, argued that Obi’s best political option was to remain in the Labour Party and consolidate his leadership there.

He said the Labour Party had the potential to become a formidable opposition platform, especially at a time when the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has, in his view, lost that role.

“What Obi should have done at this point in Nigerian politics was to stay put in the Labour Party, build the party and position himself clearly as its leader,” Olowofela said. “Labour Party was already emerging as a credible alternative, and with consistency, it could have become a strong opposition force.”

He argued that Obi’s move to the ADC puts him at a disadvantage, insisting that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar would inevitably dominate the party’s presidential ticket.

“With Obi in the ADC, there is no way forward for him. Whether he likes it or not, Atiku Abubakar will emerge as the presidential candidate of the ADC, not Obi,” he said. “Even if Obi eventually agrees to run as a vice-presidential candidate, it would confirm that his political calculation was a wrong step in the wrong direction.”

Olowofela maintained that Obi’s popularity in 2023 was driven largely by widespread dissatisfaction with both the APC and the PDP, particularly among young voters.

“I can say categorically that the youths who voted for Obi were fed up with the APC and the PDP. They were also uncomfortable with the APC’s Muslim–Muslim ticket and saw Obi as a genuine alternative,” he said.

According to him, Obi risks losing that unique appeal if he is no longer perceived as an independent presidential contender.

“The moment Obi is no longer a presidential candidate, he will lose relevance among his so-called Obidient supporters across the country,” Olowofela said. “There is nothing politically rewarding for him in being a vice president to anybody. Honestly, I pity him.”

While acknowledging Obi’s right to associate with any political platform of his choice, Olowofela insisted that, from a strategic perspective, the decision was damaging.

“People are free to belong to any association they like,” he said. “But from a political standpoint, Obi has committed political suicide. He had a strong, organic followership. The Obidient Movement was united and growing within the Labour Party.”

He added that by leaving the party, Obi risks being perceived as no different from other politicians driven purely by ambition rather than principle.

“If he had remained in the Labour Party and contested the next election, he would have shaken the polity again and consolidated his place as a major political force,” Olowofela said. “Now, many will see him as a fair-weather politician, not a principled one.”