Senator Victor Umeh, who represents Anambra Central, has clarified the purpose of a recent meeting between Peter Obi and Rotimi Amaechi, stating that it was part of routine political consultations.
Speaking on the matter, Umeh dismissed speculation that either politician was pressured to withdraw, describing such claims as misleading.
“Well, this is a season for political consultations, and it would not be unusual for people who operate in a political party to begin to talk to themselves, particularly those who are aspiring to run for the same office.
Obi going to see Mr Rotimi Amaechi, His Excellency, was a noble visit, with good intentions.
You have to talk to your opponent, you know, and Peter had to go there with people.
They were not talking about stepping down. That’s a misrepresentation.
That was a wrong spin on that visit, and I know that Mr Amaechi knows, His Excellency, that Obi never asked him to step down for him. He never did.”
Early Dialogue
Umeh stressed that such engagements are necessary, especially as multiple aspirants cannot all emerge as candidates.
According to him, early dialogue helps shape decisions within the party.
“Well, we have to start. That is why I said that Obi making up his mind to visit Rotimi in his house to see him was a step in the right direction.
Because there is no way all of them will become presidential candidates or all of them become President of Nigeria at the same time.
There must be some level of discussions and consultations that will open up a line of decision-making.”
He warned that unchecked personal ambitions could undermine the opposition’s chances in the upcoming election cycle.
With timelines already outlined by the electoral body, he said aspirants must begin to prioritize unity.
“Well, I should think that looking ahead, the timelines have been produced by INEC; the primary must end by the 30th of May, if there’s no court intervention.
That being the case, it is very strange that at this stage, the presidential aspirants have not started developing a spirit of consideration and patriotism to see the ADC go to the election and win.
If every person is holding on to his own ground, then you are preparing to kill the party, the party’s participation in the election.
That is why it is very important that everybody will tell himself the truth.
So if they go all out to wrestle, it may get to the point that some people will have bloody noses in the end, and the thing that will suffer will be the party and this effort to bring a viable platform that will contest the election against the ruling party.”
Political History
Reflecting on political history, Umeh acknowledged the long-standing influence of Atiku Abubakar but suggested that seasoned leaders should begin paving the way for a new generation.
“The truth is that this thing has a historical perspective.
He’s been running since 2003, and we respect him. He’s a very strong character and politician with influence.
But there’s a time you will say, ‘Oh no, I’ve done it. Let me prop up other people.’ Those people are coming with ideas that will promote a change, which Nigerians are looking for,” he said.
He added that any effort to build consensus among opposition figures must ultimately reflect the will of Nigerians rather than individual interests.
“What is very critical at this stage is that they have to take a look at the ruling party they are trying to dislodge.
That ruling party is entrenched, and the President who is in office is not making any pretences about it. He’s not in a hurry to go.
And if you want to change, there must be something that is different that you will offer Nigerians.
Because at the end of the day, it is the Nigerians that you are not considering, those who want to contest and those who don’t want to step down, those who don’t want to step aside.
They are not looking at or listening to what Nigerians want.
Because if you are guided by what Nigerians want, it would be very easy for you to now say, ‘Okay, let me take this way or let me take this way’”, he said.
Internal Concerns
Addressing internal concerns within the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Umeh dismissed claims of a serious crisis, arguing that those labeled as factional leaders are not central to the party’s presidential ambitions.
“Those who are claiming to be factional leaders of the ADC are not running for the presidency.
There are just two names being mentioned. Bala Gombe is not running for any office.
The other one is the one in the House of Reps and is not running for the presidency; he’s rather supporting the candidate of another party.
So if you look at them, you see that the seeming crisis you have in the ADC is not orchestrated by the members of ADC running for presidency and things like that.
These people are injected to cause problems. In the party, for the moment, they don’t exist,” Senator Umeh stated.
On suggestions that opposition leaders should move to the People’s Redemption Party (PRP), Umeh insisted the ADC remains the strongest platform for their political agenda.
“I think that the ADC has garnered the momentum to drive this project.
If you abandon the ADC and go to a party that does not have the structure, no matter what they claim, it will be very difficult because, when inviting the same people over to your own platform, they will come with their own ambitions,” he said.
The Ongoing Legal Proceedings
He also pointed to ongoing legal proceedings as key to resolving internal disputes within the party, expressing confidence that the courts would ultimately clarify jurisdictional limits.
“I don’t believe that it will be overcome. Because the matter is in court, and what is in court is a simple issue: whether the court has the jurisdiction to entertain matters concerning the internal affairs of a political party.
Once that is answered in the affirmative, that they don’t have jurisdiction, the whole crisis will end,” he assured.
Umeh concluded by emphasizing the importance of the rule of law in safeguarding Nigeria’s democracy, warning that any deviation could undermine the system itself.
“I believe very strongly that the ADC will cross the hurdle unless the laws of Nigeria mean nothing anymore.
If the law says that no court in Nigeria shall have jurisdiction to entertain any matter or suit concerning internal affairs of a political party, issues like leadership, there’s no way that interference by the court will not be stopped.
Particularly as the apex court has ruled several times that courts have no business getting into political parties’ leadership.
But I think that the whole thing that is important in all this will be to secure our democracy so that it will have the meaning that is given to it.
Democracy In Nigeria
Democracy is a government of the people, by the people, for the people. If you foreclose that, then you don’t have democracy anymore.
It’s the people who hold the sovereignty, the power to create a government, and the power to remove a government.
And if we don’t place the ground for that to happen in Nigeria, it will be goodbye to democracy.
“That’s why I think, having seen what is playing out, the greatest thing that should concern us will be to ensure that the rule of law shall be upheld.
If we uphold the rule of law, the seeming mess or the ongoing mess in the ADC leadership will not exist; the law will deal with it,” he insisted.
He ended by urging Nigerians to approach the 2027 elections with seriousness and a commitment to democratic principles.
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“So that election, we must go to it with every sense of responsibility and commitment to the well-being of democracy in Nigeria.
If we don’t have it and everybody loses hope in the electoral process, what are we living here for?” he questioned.