No fewer than 23 aspirants have defected from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Anambra State following the lingering leadership crisis in the party.
The crisis has left many federal and state assembly aspirants uncertain about their chances of contesting the 2027 general elections on the ADC platform.
A member of the party’s publicity team, Ike Uzor, disclosed this in a telephone interview with Punch in Awka on Tuesday.
Uzor said loyalists of former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, made up a large number of those who had left the party.
He said many registered members had also indicated interest in leaving the ADC to join Obi in the National Democratic Congress (NDC), while some aspirants had moved to the Social Democratic Party.
Uzor said, “The defections followed the prolonged leadership crisis within the ADC, which has left many of its national and state assembly aspirants uncertain about their prospects of contesting the 2027 general elections on the party’s platform.
“Further compounding the situation is the defection of the former Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, from the ADC, a development that has triggered a wave of defections, particularly among aspirants seeking a more stable platform.”
Uzor said the party had been receiving strong indications of resignation from members, especially aspirants and registered members loyal to Obi.
He added, “We have been receiving strong indications of resignation from members of the party, particularly from aspirants and other registered members loyal to Obi, due to the protracted leadership crisis in the party.
“As of the last count, no fewer than 23 aspirants for National and State Assembly positions are in advanced stages of joining either the NDC or the Social Democratic Party. A lot of registered members and principal officers in the state have also indicated interest in resigning from the party and joining Obi in the NDC.”
Crisis Targeted At Obi – Ogene
Reacting to the development, the lawmaker representing Ogbaru Federal Constituency of Anambra State in the House of Representatives, Victor Ogene, said the crisis in the ADC was not targeted at the party.
Ogene insisted that the real target was Obi.
He said, “For me, what is happening in the ADC is not targeted at the party itself; it is targeted at one individual, Mr. Peter Obi. And, I will provide empirical evidence to support this position.”
