- this alleged dominance has left the ADC unable to openly take a position on zoning its presidential ticket
- According to him, Obi’s supporters were being misled into a political dead end by experienced politicians
- Keyamo went on to accuse Atiku of using Peter Obi’s popularity to advance his long-standing presidential ambition
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has stirred fresh political debate after asserting that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is effectively controlled by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
According to Keyamo, Eko Hot Blog reports that this alleged dominance has left the ADC unable to openly take a position on zoning its presidential ticket, unlike the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which he said have made clearer arrangements in that regard.
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The minister made the claim in a post shared on his official X handle on Thursday, barely 24 hours after the ADC recorded a major political gain with the defection of former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
Keyamo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, cautioned that the ADC might be heading into the same political trap that undermined the PDP during the 2023 general election.
He argued that the party’s hesitation to clearly zone its presidential ticket stems from what he described as Atiku’s overwhelming influence within the ADC.
“The ADC is afraid to properly zone its presidential ticket the way the APC and PDP did, simply because the party belongs to one individual — Atiku Abubakar,” Keyamo stated.
He further claimed that Nigeria’s diverse and sensitive political landscape requires any national political party to be deliberate and transparent about zoning arrangements, warning that failure to do so often comes with serious consequences.
Drawing parallels with recent political history, the aviation minister said the situation facing the ADC mirrors the dilemma that weakened the PDP in the last election cycle.
“It is the same corner Atiku forced the PDP into in 2023 that the ADC now finds itself — an inability to clearly zone the presidential ticket. The APC governors made their decision early and succeeded, while the PDP is still suffering from that costly mistake,” he added.
Keyamo went on to accuse Atiku of using Peter Obi’s popularity to advance his long-standing presidential ambition, a move he claimed could further strain Nigeria’s fragile national cohesion.
He alleged that the former vice president was attempting to ride on Obi’s support base to clinch power under what he described as a flawed political arrangement.
Keyamo also took a swipe at Obi, suggesting that the former Anambra State governor was backing the ADC’s strategy for personal political gain, which he claimed could eventually backfire.
According to him, Obi’s supporters were being misled into a political dead end by experienced politicians who understand the terrain better.
“They may not realise it now, but they will eventually see the danger ahead and understand the warning we are giving today,” the minister concluded.
The comments have continued to generate reactions across political circles, as Nigeria inches closer to the 2027 general elections and opposition alliances take shape.
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