Political Twist: Umeh Reveals Hidden Tensions That Forced Obi Out Of ADC

Obi, alongside former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, recently left the ADC for the Nigeria Democratic Congress.

Speaking on ARISE Television’s Prime Time on Monday, Umeh said there were already clear indications that Obi was unlikely to emerge as the coalition’s presidential candidate.

When asked whether Obi was explicitly informed of this, Umeh replied that formal communication was unnecessary because the political signals were already evident.

He said, “No, the signs were there. I was also in the party. So you don’t need to tell somebody who is wise enough to know when the odds are piling against him.”

Umeh further described the ADC coalition as a broad alliance of politicians from different backgrounds without a clearly defined leadership structure. According to him, the expectation was that the coalition would eventually streamline itself and produce a strong, unified candidate capable of contesting elections successfully.

He said, “It was an amalgamation of all comers. People came from all backgrounds, all politicians were there. You cannot identify ADC with any exceptional leadership skill of anybody. Everybody who was wearing agbada and known politicians who have played it big in Nigeria came to the same place. And you cannot really hold anybody accountable. We hoped that as the coalition progressed, things would fall in place and we would identify someone who could represent Nigerians and win elections.”

Responding to claims that Obi prefers a political environment with an easier path to tickets, Umeh described him as a principled politician who avoids transactional politics and refuses to engage in monetised party processes.

He added, “Mr Peter Obi has always said he will not take part in transactional politics. That is a mark of integrity and principle. He is known for fiscal discipline. Peter doesn’t waste money. So when he finds himself in a system where everything is monetised and heading in the wrong direction, he can excuse himself. That is what he has done repeatedly.