At Least Pretend A Little – Okai Carpets Peter Obi, Kwankwaso Over Silence After Court Verdict

A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Austin Okai, has questioned the silence of presidential aspirants, Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso, over the Supreme Court judgment on the leadership crisis in the party.

Abia Radio News reports that the duo have failed to react to the apex court ruling.

Top leaders of the party, including former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, have reacted to the ruling, which reinstated the David Mark-led leadership of the ADC.

Reacting to Obi and Kwankwaso’s silence, Okai, in a post on his official Facebook page, wondered if they were not excited by the court ruling.

Okai wondered why they chose to be quiet despite the protest they held to show their grievances.

He wrote, “After all the protests, and just 48 hours after David Mark and the ADC’s Supreme Court victory, Obi and Kwankwaso have still refused to say a word

“Are they not happy that their own party won the same case they were protesting? They could have at least pretended a little. Haba!”

Meanwhile, Kwankwaso, is set to defect from the ADC to the NDC next week, according to the Kwankwasiyya movement.

The development marks a significant shift in the opposition political landscape ahead of the 2027 elections.

Spokesman of the movement, Habibu Mohammed, said the decision followed unanimous endorsement by stakeholders.

He disclosed that representatives from all 44 local government areas in Kano met at Kwankwaso’s residence and agreed on the move.

“The stakeholders have unanimously given him the go-ahead to move to the NDC,” Mohammed said.

Mohammed added that former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, is also expected to join the NDC alongside Kwankwaso.

“I believe him, Peter Obi, and some others will be joining the NDC,” he said.

He noted that discussions with the NDC were about 90 per cent complete, with only minor issues left to be resolved.

The spokesperson said the decision was influenced largely by the lingering leadership crisis within the ADC.

He pointed to the recent Supreme Court ruling, which returned the dispute to the Federal High Court, as a source of continued uncertainty.

“It does not look feasible to stay there… the entire caucus voted unanimously that a better platform, not embedded in a leadership tussle, should be used,” he told The Cable.

Mohammed also cited ongoing court cases and approaching deadlines for submission of party membership registers to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as factors behind the decision.

He warned that remaining in the ADC could jeopardise the movement’s political plans.

According to him, the movement considered both the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) and the NDC before settling for the latter.

He added that internal disagreements within the ADC, including issues around consensus candidacy, also influenced the move.

The report noted that Obi has not attended ADC meetings since the opposition summit in Ibadan.

He was said to be dissatisfied with the failure to address zoning of the presidential ticket, which he considers key to fairness and unity.