ADC treated Peter Obi like ‘side-chick’ — Keyamo

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has likened the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to a “lovesick bachelor” who lost a prized partner and then turned around to attack her for leaving.

Keyamo made the remarks on Thursday while reacting to the defection of former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, from the ADC to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).

In a statement, the minister admitted he was “interfering in what does not concern me” before deploying a romantic analogy to describe the political fallout surrounding Obi’s exit from the ADC.

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“A bachelor loves a young, beautiful woman so much and thinks she’s actually the best of his girlfriends, but refuses to assure her she’d be the first wife. He proposes to keep her as second wife or side-chick,” Keyamo wrote.

He continued that the woman, aware of her value, quietly left for another suitor who immediately offered her the commitment she deserved, after which the bachelor allegedly “went berserk” and began attacking her publicly.

“The beautiful woman, who knows her worth, has no time to waste waiting for this bachelor and walks away quietly to another suitor who knows her worth and assures her instantly she’d be the first wife,” he stated.

“Haba! bachelor, why not just stick with your other woman and let her be? This is just the case of Peter Obi and the ADC.”

In the analogy, Obi was portrayed as a valued political figure who left a party allegedly unwilling to guarantee him its presidential ticket, while the ADC was cast as a platform that failed to make a firm commitment.

Obi had on Saturday announced his resignation from the ADC, citing persistent internal disputes and legal battles within the party as major reasons for his departure.

In his resignation statement, Obi said the decision was not driven by anger, ambition, or convenience, but followed deep reflection on Nigeria’s political direction and the need to rescue the country from what he described as a dangerous path.

He also drew parallels with his earlier exit from the Labour Party, alleging that orchestrated litigation and internal crises were deliberately used to frustrate his participation in the electoral process.

Despite leaving the ADC, Obi expressed appreciation to former Senate President, David Mark, and other party leaders, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, for their support during his stay in the party.

He warned against efforts to weaken opposition parties, arguing that democracy suffers when political competition is undermined.

Obi’s exit, alongside that of former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, has triggered wider political realignments, with several lawmakers and party members reportedly moving to the NDC.