ADC Rules Out Peter Obi’s 2027 Presidential Bid Under Its Platform

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has officially ruled out former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi from contesting the 2027 presidency under its banner, citing strict constitutional guidelines that prohibit individuals affiliated with other political parties.

Despite Obi’s visible association with the ADC and his interest in the 2027 race, the party emphasized that only card-carrying members who have completely severed ties with other parties are eligible to contest for its ticket.

According to Article 8 of the ADC’s third schedule on primary election guidelines, an aspirant “must not belong to any other political party,” and if previously affiliated, must have formally resigned.

This poses a clear obstacle for Obi, who remains a leading figure in the Labour Party. His media aide, Tanko Yunusa, confirmed that Obi has not left the LP, saying, “Well, that will be made public if he decides to do that. At the moment, he is still a member of the Labour Party.”

Meanwhile, the ADC has cleared former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and ex-Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi to pursue the party’s presidential ticket. Both men are no longer members of their former parties—PDP and APC, respectively—and have been screened and approved by the ADC’s National Executive Committee.

The party also reaffirmed its commitment to internal democracy and transparency in its selection process, stating that its electoral committee would conduct primaries to produce credible candidates who reflect the will of the people.

The ADC added that it retains the option to adopt direct primaries, indirect primaries, or a consensus method, based on the decision of its National Executive Committee.