Presidency has reacted sharply to the defection of former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), describing the move as another episode in what it called his “wandering” political career.
In a post on his verified X handle, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, said he watched as Obi “formally joined the ADC after abandoning the party he had used to pursue his ill-fated presidential ambition.”
Onanuga noted that nearly three years after the 2023 presidential election, Obi still appeared unable to come to terms with his third-place finish.
He described Obi as “the wandering politician — who moved from APGA to PDP to Labour and now ADC,” adding that the former Anambra State governor “still sounded bitter about coming third.”
According to the presidential spokesman, Obi continues to insist he was denied victory, “even though empirical analyses of the poll showed he could not have won and was fortunate to even emerge third because of the anomalous polling figures recorded for him in his South East region.”
Onanuga said Obi’s disposition at the event where he joined the ADC further revealed his resentment over the election outcome.
“At his event, Obi’s bitterness was evident,” he wrote, adding that he was particularly concerned about Obi’s frequent references to “books, professors, and other nations” to justify his claim that he understands the secrets of national development.
The spokesman cautioned Nigerians to view such claims critically, noting that Obi’s record as governor did not support his posture.
He described Obi as “a politician who was an abysmal failure in a small state like Anambra, which he governed for 8 years.”
Taking a swipe at Obi’s credentials, Onanuga wrote: “Because Obi sorely lacks the leadership pedigree, beyond being a successful importer, only the madman he consults in Onitsha would be comfortable handing over Nigeria to him.”
Onanuga also faulted Obi’s tendency to promote foreign models of development, stressing that countries are shaped by unique realities.
“Nations are not identical, and what worked in Indonesia or the USA may not necessarily work in Nigeria,” he said. “No leader can move a country forward by simply copying and pasting models from elsewhere. Nations require original thinkers, not copycats. Homegrown solutions are essential for proper development.”
He argued that this approach reflects the governing philosophy of President Bola Tinubu since assuming office on May 29, 2023. According to him, Obi is “too consumed by animosity and his small-mindedness to acknowledge” the reforms carried out by the current administration.
Onanuga listed several achievements of the Tinubu administration, including economic restructuring, the removal of petrol subsidies, reduced dependence on oil, renewed focus on gas development, and the attraction of local and foreign investments.
He also cited improvements in foreign reserves, exchange rate stability, easing inflation, and the commencement of major infrastructure projects such as the Lagos–Calabar and Sokoto–Badagry superhighways.
He added that with tax reforms expected to begin in January, the administration plans to “harmonise the historically fragmented tax regime, increase the tax-to-GDP ratio, enhance revenue, and boost prosperity,” stressing that “for the past two years and seven months, Tinubu has demonstrated effective leadership anchored in strategic policies and reforms.”
Concluding his post, Onanuga suggested that Obi’s move to the ADC may not significantly alter his political fortunes.
He wrote that Obi “is so blind that he cannot see all these achievements,” predicting that in his new party, he would “play second fiddle and end up being Atiku’s running mate in 2027, like we witnessed in 2019.”