The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has explained why former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi were absent from the official unveiling of its new national secretariat in Abuja on November 17.
This was contained in a statement by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, dismissing reports suggesting that Obi snubbed the leadership because the secretariat was formerly Atiku’s campaign office.
While the ADC National Chairman, David Mark; the party’s National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola; and former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, attended the unveiling, both Obi and Atiku were absent and did not issue any formal statement.
Inaugurating the new secretariat, Mark described it as a reflection of the coalition’s ambition to reshape Nigeria’s political future.
“It is a physical testament to our collective resolve to build a greater nation. This ADC coalition is a historic child of necessity, inspired by people’s desire for good governance, greater accountability, and a stronger democracy,” he said.
Obi’s absence had been widely interpreted as a rejection of the secretariat because of its previous link to Atiku.
However, Abdullahi, who dismissed the insinuation, insisted Obi remained committed to the coalition, explaining that Obi was out of the country during the event, while Atiku was unavailable due to other engagements.
He said, “The programme was impromptu; most of the party leaders were not in attendance. Obi was out of the country, and Atiku wasn’t available. There’s nothing to suggest that Peter Obi is withdrawing from the coalition. He is still with us.
“Let me state again that Atiku isn’t the owner of the building, and he didn’t donate it to the ADC. He leased the building, and his rent had expired. The ADC rented the building.”
The ADC’s mouthpiece further stated that there was no rift among ADC leaders, insisting that the coalition remained united in its goal to unseat President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
