Obi left ADC over fear of Atiku contest, says Dele Momodu

Dele Momodu has claimed that Peter Obi’s departure from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) was driven by his inability to confront former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in a party contest.

Momodu made the assertion on Wednesday while speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, following the defection of Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso to the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC).

According to him, Obi would have been better off staying in the ADC to prove his political influence through the party’s primary process.

“It’s a lot easier for Obi to test his popularity, but he ran away from testing that popularity because all it takes now is either consensus… or direct primaries.

“When you go and do the primaries, it’s every registered party member that will vote. So if you are popular, you will get the vote. But he knows that… it will be difficult for him to beat a man who brought him to national prominence in 2019,” he said.

Momodu commended Atiku for his consistency in pursuing the presidency over the decades.

“Atiku meticulously and diligently pursued his dream since around 1992/1993 and has not given up. That is the hallmark of a serious politician,” he said, adding that Obi should have remained to test his strength.

He further alleged that Obi’s political moves were influenced by his supporters, especially on the issue of a potential vice-presidential ticket.

“Obi is afraid of his supporters… They already told him… if he agreed to be vice president to anyone, they were going to disown him.

“They said it—Aisha Yesufu said it, Pat Utomi also said it publicly… Obi did not leave because of Atiku; he left because he knew he lacked the capacity to take on Atiku,” Momodu added.

However, Obi had cited internal disputes, external interference, and growing tensions within the ADC as reasons for his exit from the party, which he joined in December 2025.

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