Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga has launched a scathing attack on former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, describing him as an “opportunistic and inconsistent politician” following comments suggesting he could exit the African Democratic Congress.
The exchange followed Obi’s appearance on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme, where he hinted at the possibility of leaving the African Democratic Congress if the party’s internal processes were compromised.
Reacting via his X handle on Monday, Onanuga criticised Obi’s history of political defections, accusing him of frequently switching parties.
“Peter Obi, the peripatetic, opportunistic and inconsistent politician ever to operate in Nigeria, hints that he may leave the ADC the way he left APGA, PDP and Labour. Listen to him,” he wrote.
However, Obi defended his political decisions during the interview, insisting that his movements across parties have always been guided by principle rather than personal gain.
“I don’t have a long time in politics; if I have to move 20 times, I will do it. I cannot be talking about change and something new, and still use the process of yesterday to build tomorrow,” he said.
The former Anambra State governor also explained that his exit from the Labour Party was due to what he described as deliberate attempts to trap him in internal crises.
“They put fire in the house and were shocked that I was able to escape. They thought I would stay there and be consumed. When I escaped, they started saying I could not stay to put out the fire they created,” Obi stated.
On his current membership of the ADC, Obi noted that political alliances often evolve, adding that his focus remains on the integrity of ongoing processes within the party.
“What is important is not what people were yesterday, but what they are today. I am in ADC with some of the same people I left in PDP and other parties, but we are going through a process, and if that process is compromised, I will speak out,” he said.
Obi maintained that transparency and credibility in political processes remain non-negotiable, reiterating his readiness to take decisive action whenever his principles are threatened.
“If I have to move 20 times, I will do it. You cannot use the process of yesterday to build tomorrow,” he added.
