‘If he can’t face primaries, he can’t lead Nigeria’ – Bashir Ahmad on Obi’s ‘defection’ to NDC

Bashir Ahmad

Bashir Ahmad, a former media aide to late ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, has reacted to reports that opposition leaders Peter Obi and Rabi’u Kwankwaso are set to defect from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).

In a post on his X handle on Saturday, Ahmed said Obi can’t lead Nigeria if they can’t face party primaries.

“Reports and indications suggest that Peter Obi and his blind supporters are reconsidering another political move away from their current platform, the ADC.

“The question here is whether Peter Obi is leaving to escape standing against other aspirants within his party. It is the same path he once embraced in 2022 leading to 2023 presidential election.

“If political figure appear so afraid to test their popularity within their own party structure, it naturally leads to questions about how they intend to build the broad national consensus required to lead a country as diverse and complex as Nigeria.

“Party primaries are a fundamental pillar of democracy, if Peter Obi struggles to compete fairly among fellow aspirants within his party, it becomes difficult to convincingly argue that he can unify and lead an entire nation with diverse interests and strong political contenders,” Ahmad said.

DAILY POST had reported that Obi and Kwankwaso are set to defect from ADC to NDC next week, according to the Kwankwasiyya Movement.