Paul Ibe, spokesperson to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, says the purported fight among the leading opposition leaders in the coalition-backed African Democratic Congress (ADC) over the party’s 2027 presidential ticket will be settled by the party’s delegates.
Ibe, while speaking during an interview with Trust TV, said leaders of the party had already reached an understanding on the need to make sacrifices before launching the coalition.
Recently, opposition politicians led by the former Vice President launched a coalition to unseat President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
Days after the launch, Peter Obi and Amaechi declared to contest for president on the platform.
Having contested for president six times, it is speculated that Atiku is also willing to contest again on the ADC platform.
The development has sparked a conversation about a possible implosion in the party as supporters of each aspirant want their principal to emerge as the party’s presidential candidate.
However, Ibe has downplayed the implosion narrative, saying supporters are the ones “jostling for space.”
He said, “Between what Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi and Amaechi says (sic), is ultimately, democracy has worked. It is the delegates of the party, whether it is a direct or indirect primary, they are the ones who are going to determine the fate of these leaders. All of these two fighting or three fighting will be settled by the delegates.”
Asked if there should be any two fighting in the coalition that started with “an understanding”, he said that is the nature of democracy.
“Maybe it’s because of the fact that we lost the essence of what democracy is all about because of what Tinubu and his administration has been doing. Everybody is being railroaded into a one-party state. It’s about choice, people have the right to choose,” Ibe said.
He urged supporters to campaign for their candidates and allow the delegates to do what the constitution of the party has provided.
