A faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), led by its National Chairman, Nafiu Gombe, has disowned the reported registration of former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi at the party’s Enugu zonal office.
The group, which describes itself as the party’s authentic national leadership, said the move breached the ADC constitution and did not follow laid-down membership procedures.
The clarification followed Obi’s announcement on Thursday that he had joined the ADC at an event held at the Nike Lake Resort in Enugu State. At the gathering, the former Anambra State governor urged Nigerians and opposition groups to unite under a broad coalition to “rescue Nigeria from poverty, disunity and democratic decline”.
In a New Year message issued in Abuja, Gombe said the party was compelled to address what he described as misleading information about its registration process.
He said ADC membership is guided by order and discipline, with clear constitutional steps that must be followed. According to him, registration into the party begins strictly at the ward level.
“It has come to our attention that a certain Mr Peter Obi was reportedly registered at a party zonal office in Enugu,” Gombe said. “This does not align with the constitutional procedures for membership registration into the African Democratic Congress.”
He explained that prospective members must register in their wards of origin or residence, after which a validated membership card is issued. The party’s constitution, he added, does not recognise registration at zonal or national offices.
“Any registration carried out outside the ward level is irregular and invalid,” Gombe said, adding that the party had begun investigating the alleged breach of procedure.
The faction urged party supporters and the public to disregard claims suggesting alternative routes to ADC membership, stressing that ward registration remains the only recognised method.
Gombe’s statement came a day after the Julius Abure-led National Working Committee of the Labour Party described Obi’s defection as a “liberation” for the party.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Labour Party spokesperson Obiora Ifoh said the party regretted presenting Obi as its presidential candidate in the 2023 election. He said Obi’s exit only confirmed a political separation that had existed for months amid an unresolved leadership crisis.
The dispute adds to the shifting alliances within Nigeria’s opposition as political actors reposition ahead of future elections.
