PORT HARCOURT: A former National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP), Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has criticised recent actions and utterances attributed to elements within the Obedient Movement, a political bloc loyal to Peter Obi, warning that internal discord could derail the collective objective of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Eze, who described himself as a patriotic Nigerian committed to a united and progressive country, said it was time for key figures within the ADC to set aside personal egos and narrow interests and work towards presenting a formidable, united front capable of dislodging the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) led by President Bola Tinubu.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the public affairs commentator said the central vision upon which the ADC was founded was to rescue Nigerians from what he described as bad governance, corruption, nepotism and widespread hardship under the current administration, stressing that such an objective could not be realised in a divided house.
Eze was reacting to what he described as a false statement attributed to Rt. Hon. Barr. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, a key figure within the ADC, which had circulated widely on social media. The statement purportedly portrayed Amaechi as openly endorsing Peter Obi in glowing terms.
Describing the report as fabricated, Eze, who said he was a close ally of the former Rivers State governor and immediate past Minister of Transportation, dismissed the attribution as a deliberate attempt to blackmail and undermine Amaechi and other leaders of the party.
“That statement is entirely false. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi never made such comments. It is a product of the imagination of those driven by desperation and illusion, seeking to blackmail and discredit key figures ahead of the ADC’s presidential primary,” Eze said.
He warned that the use of intimidation, blackmail and misinformation by some factions within the ADC would not augur well for the future of the party, recalling that similar tactics had previously been deployed against other leading figures, including Atiku Abubakar.
Eze described such actions as unacceptable and counterproductive, and appealed directly to Peter Obi to caution some of his supporters within the Obedient Movement against what he termed a dangerous and divisive strategy.
“The ADC presidential ticket is open and will be decided through due process. No one should attempt to capsize the ship through desperation or personal aggrandisement,” he said, urging all tendencies within the party to exercise restraint and allow internal democracy to prevail.
He further expressed concern over claims by some Obi supporters that the ADC would cease to exist if Obi failed to secure the party’s presidential ticket, describing such assertions as unfortunate, selfish and unpatriotic.
According to Eze, while Obi, Atiku and Amaechi remain the three leading presidential hopefuls within the ADC, all possess the credentials and capacity to rescue Nigeria from its current challenges, and none should be undermined in the process.
“These leaders must work together in honesty and unity of purpose. There will be no shortcut to victory if there is betrayal or internal sabotage,” he warned, adding that Nigerians would not forgive them if personal ambitions were allowed to sabotage a historic opportunity for change.
Eze concluded by calling on all stakeholders within the ADC to conduct themselves with maturity and patience ahead of the party’s presidential primary, expressing confidence that whoever emerges would enjoy the collective support of party leaders and members.
“This is the time to learn from the mistakes of 2023. With unity and a common purpose, the ADC can offer Nigerians a credible alternative and bring an end to the hardship inflicted on the country,” he said.
