A member of the House of Representatives, Leke Abejide, has argued that former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, recorded strong outings in the 2023 presidential election largely due to religious and ethnic sentiments.
Abejide said Obi benefited particularly from the support of Northern Christians who, at the time, feared their freedom of worship could be threatened if Bola Tinubu emerged president.
The lawmaker, who represents Yagba Federal Constituency in Kogi State, made the remarks on Friday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
Abejide, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), spoke shortly after Obi formally joined the party on Wednesday in Enugu State.
“People, especially the Northern Christians, believed that they would be in trouble if Asiwaju came in as president. They believed they would not have room to exercise their faith, but it’s not like that today,” he said.
He warned opposition parties against banking on a repeat of the political atmosphere that shaped the 2023 elections, noting that circumstances have shifted since Tinubu assumed office.
“The way the president handled the whole thing, they know he’s not a religious bigot, and he does not believe in extremism of any religion, whether Christian or Muslim,” Abejide added.
The lawmaker also faulted what he described as improper political registration practices among opposition figures, citing Obi’s decision to register with the ADC in Enugu State rather than in his home state of Anambra.
“He’s supposed to go to his ward and register from his ward. Then it can be recognised. If you go to the zonal office and you register as a politician, this kind of politics is a new system to me,” he said.
Reacting to speculation that opposition parties could defeat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027 by combining their 2023 votes, Abejide dismissed the idea as unrealistic.
“If anybody is capitalising on what happened in 2023 and calculating that if they put Atiku’s vote and put Obi’s votes, they’re going to beat APC, it’s just like the person is building castles in the air,” he stated.
He further pointed out that the ADC is currently grappling with internal leadership challenges that could weaken its electoral prospects.
“The leadership of ADC today is in crisis, and until the court decides, nobody can say this is going to defeat the APC,” Abejide said.
Despite his criticisms, the lawmaker said the party remains open to new members, including high-profile politicians, but stressed the need for adherence to established procedures.
“They are welcome, and we’ll see what the outcome is going to be, but if you want to join, join properly,” he added.
