Hon. Chille Igbawua, a former governorship aspirant and member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Electoral Panel, has said Peter Obi made a wrong political move by leaving the ADC ahead of the party’s presidential primary.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television on Tuesday, Igbawua maintained that the former Anambra State governor ought to have remained in the party and contested against former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, even if he eventually lost.
According to him, participating in the contest would have given Obi the opportunity to learn important political lessons and strengthen his future ambitions.
“I don’t think he made the right decision,” Igbawua said.
“He should have stayed back and tested his popularity. Even if you lose, you learn from the process and prepare better for the future.”
Igbawua, who also serves as Adviser to ADC National Chairman David Mark, insisted that the party’s primary election process was transparent and fair to all aspirants.
He cited voting figures from Benue State as evidence that contestants were given equal opportunities during the exercise.
“In Benue, Atiku got 55,000 votes, Amaechi scored 30,000 votes and Hayatu-deen polled 22,000 votes. That clearly shows there was a level playing field,” he stated.
He acknowledged Atiku’s strong political structure across the country but argued that no aspirant should avoid a contest simply because of the former vice president’s influence.
“Atiku has built a massive political machinery over the years, but that does not mean he cannot be defeated. He has lost primaries before,” he added.
The former governorship aspirant explained that the coalition discussions that led to the adoption of ADC as a political platform were initially driven by the desire to rescue Nigeria rather than individual ambition.
According to him, several politicians involved in the coalition made sacrifices for the collective interest and expected others to do the same.
“When this coalition started, it was about saving Nigeria and not personal ambition. Some of us also made sacrifices at our own levels,” he said.
Igbawua further criticised politicians who abandon political platforms after failing to secure their personal ambitions, saying such actions undermine the spirit of coalition politics.
“So when somebody begins to abandon ship because of personal ambition, I honestly do not think it is the right thing to do,” he stated.
Peter Obi recently left the ADC amid ongoing political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.
