A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dr Ladan Salihu, has urged political economist, Professor Pat Utomi, and supporters of former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, to exercise restraint amid growing debate over the party’s 2027 presidential ticket.
Salihu made the call on Friday while reacting to Utomi’s recent remarks that he would withdraw support for Obi if the former governor accepted a vice-presidential slot in the emerging opposition coalition following his defection to the ADC.
Speaking on Arise Television’s The Morning Show, the ADC chieftain said the party’s immediate priority should be building a strong opposition platform rather than engaging in early contests over presidential nominations. He described Utomi’s comments as hasty and called for a more measured approach.
“Pat Utomi has rushed with his comment. I believe he should calm down and sober up,” Salihu said, stressing that the focus should be on strengthening the party’s structure and positioning it as a viable alternative ahead of the 2027 elections.
According to him, the ADC is currently concentrating on recruiting members, consolidating its internal framework and articulating its role as a major opposition party. “That should be the issue on the table. We should not so much be looking at the issues of presidential election at this stage,” he added.
Salihu also advised supporters of Obi, popularly known as Obidients, to avoid placing conditions on their participation in party politics. He cautioned against demands that Obi must automatically emerge as the ADC’s presidential candidate.
“In politics, you don’t join a political party with conditionalities and pre-conditions,” he said, noting that aspirants are expected to test their popularity and credibility through established democratic processes.
He explained that party members should campaign, mobilise support and present themselves to delegates, who ultimately decide candidates. Salihu further warned that a “win-or-nothing” mindset was undemocratic and could weaken the opposition’s broader objective of challenging the ruling party.
“The idea of somebody coming up to tell Nigerians not only in ADC, in any political party that if my presidential candidate should win or nothing is anti-democratic,” he said.
