Obi rejects insults within ADC, calls for issue-based opposition politics

Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has distanced himself from verbal attacks directed at leaders of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), insisting that such conduct does not reflect his values or those of the Obidient movement.

Obi made the clarification on Tuesday during an engagement with supporters at the movement’s secretariat, where he said abusive comments allegedly made in his name were unacceptable and harmful to opposition unity.

He said he enjoys cordial relationships with leading figures within the ADC and would never endorse name-calling or personal attacks against fellow opposition leaders, stressing that respect must define interactions within the coalition.

“Let me tell you here, most of the things you hear are done by criminals who are not Obidient people. We are in the ADC and we respect everybody there. People like Atiku are my leaders and respected elder brothers, just as Amaechi, el-Rufai, Imoke, Oyegun and Aregbesola are my colleagues, so how can I say anything bad about them?” Obi said.

The former Anambra State governor added that some individuals were deliberately attempting to damage his reputation by attributing hostile actions to him and his supporters.

He urged members of the opposition to focus on substantive national issues rather than internal quarrels, noting that politics should be centred on improving the lives of Nigerians.

According to him, challenges such as insecurity, unemployment, hunger, the growing number of out-of-school children and rising cases of mass abductions should be the main preoccupation of opposition leaders and their supporters.

Obi’s remarks come amid reports of internal tensions within the ADC following his entry into the party and increasing interest among opposition figures in contesting the 2027 presidential election.

Debates have also emerged among supporters over zoning arrangements, with disagreements on whether the party’s presidential ticket should remain in the south or be thrown open.

Earlier in January, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar similarly cautioned supporters of opposition leaders against trading insults, warning that such behaviour only strengthens the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).