AMAC ADC Primaries Rocked by Allegations of Imposition Against Obi, Kingibe

The Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) primaries of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) have been thrown into controversy following allegations by a chairmanship aspirant, Hon. Michael Odoh, that former Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, and the senator representing the Federal Capital Territory, Ireti Kingibe, interfered in the process to impose candidates on the party.

Odoh, who had declared interest in the chairmanship seat, accused the two leaders of undermining the principles of internal democracy by compelling aspirants who had gone through due process to step down for their preferred candidate.

According to him, he duly met all party and legal requirements but was denied the opportunity to contest in a transparent primary.

“I went through all the processes in this party faithfully. I prepared myself for the primaries, ready for a fair contest. But to my greatest shock, I was denied that opportunity. The reason I was given was that the aspirant being imposed was sent by Mr. Peter Obi and Senator Ireti Kingibe, and the party leadership did not want to displease them,” Odoh alleged.

The aspirant said his suspicions were confirmed on August 22 at Chelsea Hotel, Abuja, where both Obi and Kingibe were allegedly present as aspirants, including those who had already won their primaries, were pressured to step aside.

“What happened in that hotel was nothing short of a scandal. Candidates who had legitimately won were told they lacked ‘loyalty’ or ‘capacity.’ Just as they imposed a chairmanship candidate on AMAC, councillorship candidates were also handpicked. The question is: who decides the people, or a few individuals in a hotel room?” he queried.

Odoh stressed that the actions violated both the party’s guidelines and the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022.

“The ADC deposited its guidelines with INEC, which clearly states that all candidates must emerge through primaries. Section 84 of the Electoral Act also makes this mandatory. What happened in AMAC is not only illegitimate; it is unlawful,” he said.

He disclosed that his legal team had written formally to the party leadership without receiving a response, adding that he would proceed to court.

“We will go to court armed with the party’s guidelines and the Electoral Act itself. On this matter, both truth and law are on our side,” he said.

Odoh called on his supporters to remain calm and law-abiding, insisting that his battle was not personal but a fight to defend the democratic process within the party.

“I know my supporters are angry and disappointed. But this struggle is not about violence  it is about justice. We are not fighting individuals; we are confronting impunity. In the end, democracy will win,” he declared.