Peter Obi's Key Ally Speaks on Fate of Obidients After Ex-LP Candidate's Official ADC Move

Peter Obi's Key Ally Speaks on Fate of Obidients After Ex-LP Candidate's Official ADC Move

  • Opposition figure Yunusa Tanko has declared that Peter Obi and Obidients are ready to fight for Nigeria
  • Obi formally joined the ADC on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, in Enugu State, along with several of his supporters, including some prominent public figures
  • The move is widely seen as a major boost for the ADC, a relatively marginal party now repositioning itself as the platform for a united opposition

Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering politics, elections, public affairs and governance in Nigeria and Africa.

FCT, Abuja - Ahead of the 2027 election, Yunusa Tanko, national coordinator of the Obidient Movement, on Thursday, January 1, 2026, said the group will stay within the ADC.

Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, monitored by Legit.ng, Tanko explained that Obidients, a sobriquet for staunch supporters of Obi, will respect the outcome of the ADC’s presidential primary, even if Atiku Abubakar becomes the candidate.

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Tinubu’s spokesperson batters Peter Obi for officially joining ADC ahead of 2027 election

Peter Obi's key ally speaks on fate of Obidients after ex-Labour Party candidate's official ADC move
Peter Obi’s ally addresses the future of the Obidient movement after the former Labour Party candidate joined the ADC ahead of the 2027 election. Photo credit: Mr. Peter Obi
Source: Facebook

Tanko insisted that the Obidient Movement was committed to democratic principles and would take its decisions “democratically” within the ADC.

He said:

“As democrats, we will go in there and contest equitably well with every contestant based on democratic tenets. We believe that at the end of it all, Mr. Peter Obi will come out on top with the large teaming population that he is bringing into the ADC."

Obidients pledge loyalty to ADC

Asked what the movement would do if former vice president Atiku Abubakar won the ADC primary election, Yunusa replied:

“We will remain at the party and give the party the lease of life it demands democratically.”

Tinubu’s spokesman batters Obi

Meanwhile, Bayo Onanuga, presidential spokesperson to President Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, mocked Obi, describing him as "the wandering politician."

In a post on his X (formerly Twitter) page Wednesday evening, December 31, 2025, Onanuga, the special adviser on information and strategy to President Tinubu, predicted that the Obidient movement leader will end up being former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s running mate in the 2027 election.

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2027 election: “How Peter Obi’s defection to ADC will affect Tinubu, Atiku”, Analyst explains

He said:

"About three years after the 2023 election, Obi, the wandering politician — who moved from APGA to PDP to Labour and now ADC — still sounded bitter about coming third. He continues to claim he was robbed of victory, even though empirical analyses of the poll showed he could not have won and was fortunate to even emerge third because of the anomalous polling figures recorded for him in his South East region. At his event, Obi’s bitterness was evident."
President Bola Tinubu’s spokesperson Bayo Onanuga condemns Peter Obi for officially joining ADC ahead of the 2027 election
President Bola Tinubu’s spokesperson Bayo Onanuga condemns Peter Obi for joining ADC ahead of the 2027 election. Photo credits: @Imranmuhdz, @PeterObi
Source: Twitter

Onanuga added:

"Obi is so blind that he cannot see Tinubu's achievements, as he jumped from Labour to ADC, where he will play second fiddle and end up being Atiku Abubakar’s running mate in 2027, like we witnessed in 2019."

Read more on Peter Obi:

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5 things Peter Obi stands to benefit if he accepts to be Atiku’s running mate in ADC coalition

Atiku reacts as Obi joins ADC

Legit.ng earlier reported that Atiku warmly welcomed Obi to the ADC.

The ex-Nigerian No.2 citizen stated that he looks forward to "a robust working relationship that will foster a virile opposition, one that will ultimately form a government capable of bringing prosperity and peace to our people."

Source: Legit.ng

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Ridwan Adeola Yusuf (Current Affairs Editor) Ridwan Adeola Yusuf is a content creator with more than nine years of experience, He is also a Current Affairs Editor at Legit.ng. He holds a Higher National Diploma in Mass Communication from the Polytechnic Ibadan, Oyo State (2014). Ridwan previously worked at Africa Check, contributing to fact-checking research works within the organisation. He is an active member of the Academic Excellence Initiative (AEI). In March 2024, Ridwan completed the full Google News Initiative Lab workshop and his effort was recognised with a Certificate of Completion. Email: ridwan.adeola@corp.legit.ng.