Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation, has come to Peter Obi’s defense regarding his recent defection from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to the New Democratic Congress (NDC), using a bold analogy to explain the rationale behind the move.
Keyamo’s remarks, shared in a social media post on Thursday, sought to downplay the hostility directed at Obi, arguing that his decision to leave ADC was a pragmatic choice rather than a betrayal.
Using a marriage analogy, Keyamo likened the situation to a woman leaving a bachelor who refuses to commit to her as the first wife, instead offering her only the uncertain position of a side-chick or second wife. According to Keyamo, just as the woman walks away from the uncommitted bachelor and finds a partner who values her worth, Obi’s defection from ADC was similarly motivated by a lack of clear commitment from the party, especially regarding the 2027 presidential ticket.
Keyamo posted:
“A bachelor loves a young, beautiful woman so much and thinks she’s actually the best of his girlfriends, but refuses to assure her she’d be the first wife. He proposes to keep her as second wife or side-chick. The beautiful woman, who knows her worth, has no time to waste waiting for this bachelor and walks away quietly to another suitor who knows her worth and assures her instantly she’d be the first wife. The bachelor then goes berserk and sends his relatives all over the town to be abusing her. Haba! bachelor, why not just stick with your other woman and let her be? This is just the case of Peter Obi and the ADC.”
Obi, the former Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, joined the ADC in late 2025 in an effort to unite opposition forces ahead of the 2027 general elections.
However, amid internal disputes and ongoing legal battles, Obi resigned from the ADC in early May 2026 and moved to the NDC, citing a clearer path to his presidential ambition.
Keyamo’s analogy suggests that Obi’s departure was driven by the ADC’s failure to provide a firm commitment regarding his presidential aspirations. Rather than remaining in a party where his future as the flagbearer was uncertain, Obi found an alternative platform that offered more political clarity.
