Hon. Chille Igbawua, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has explained why his party and other opposition candidates performed poorly in Saturday’s bye-elections across several states.
Speaking on Arise News, Igbawua argued that the candidates lacked the political weight and direct backing of key opposition figures such as Peter Obi, Atiku Abubakar, and former Kaduna Governor, Nasir El-Rufai.
According to him, while party structures matter in elections, personality is often more decisive. He stressed that the results would have been different if heavyweights like Obi or Atiku had personally contested.
“When Peter Obi contested for the presidency, he didn’t have a structure, yet he won twelve states, including Lagos. That shows personality matters. If Obi, Atiku, or El-Rufai were on the ballot last Saturday, the outcome would have been very different,” he said.
He added that while the ADC’s performance appeared weak, it was still commendable given the party had been politically dormant until recently.
His remarks come after Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga mocked opposition figures — Obi, Atiku, and El-Rufai — in a viral X post following the APC’s sweeping victory in the bye-elections.
