A former Senator, Dino Melaye, has launched fresh criticism against ex–Anambra State Governor Peter Obi over his exit from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
Obi, together with his reported political partner and former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, recently left the ADC amid prolonged internal disputes and ongoing court battles affecting the party’s leadership structure. Their departure has reportedly encouraged a wider wave of defections from the ADC into the NDC, deepening tensions within opposition politics.
Responding in a statement issued on Wednesday, Melaye accused Obi of consistently steering away from competitive internal party contests. He claimed the former presidential candidate’s latest switch reflected a pattern of avoiding difficult political environments where delegates’ primaries and internal rivalries are unavoidable.
Melaye argued that Obi’s withdrawal from the ADC was unsurprising, insisting he had difficulty coping with the party’s internal struggles. He suggested that the situation exposed Obi’s preference for politically comfortable platforms rather than engaging in rigorous party processes. In his view, anyone unable to endure internal party disputes would struggle to manage the wider challenges of governing Nigeria.
He further compared the ADC’s internal issues to the broader governance problems facing the country, arguing that national leadership demands a higher level of resilience than party disagreements. According to him, if Obi could not manage internal party pressure, it raises doubts about his readiness for national office.
The former senator also criticised what he described as Obi’s tendency to align with politically convenient arrangements. He alleged that the former governor’s political rise had been shaped more by selection processes than by contested internal elections. Melaye suggested that Obi had repeatedly benefited from party decisions that did not require him to compete in difficult primaries.
He referenced Obi’s emergence as governor under the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), his selection as a vice-presidential candidate under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and his later presidential candidacy under the Labour Party, arguing that these transitions involved minimal internal contestation.
According to Melaye, Obi’s discomfort with primary elections also explained his exits from both the PDP and now the ADC. He claimed that the move to the NDC followed a similar pattern of seeking a more favourable political environment without the pressures of internal competition.
He went further to allege that the NDC lacks true independence, claiming it operates as an extension of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). In his view, Obi’s defection therefore represents another alignment with structures tied to the ruling party.
Melaye concluded by insisting that Obi’s political journey reflects a consistent avoidance of internal democratic competition, arguing that such behaviour raises questions about his capacity for leadership at the national level.
