Politics

Abejide Says Religious and Ethnic Factors Boosted Obi’s 2023 Performance

Published by admin on January 3rd, 2026.

Abejide Says Religious and Ethnic Factors Boosted Obi’s 2023 Performance

House of Representatives member Leke Abejide has argued that Peter Obi’s impressive results in the 2023 presidential election were largely influenced by religious and ethnic considerations rather than purely policy-driven support.

Speaking on *Politics Today*, a Channels Television programme aired on Friday, the lawmaker said many voters—particularly Christians in Northern Nigeria—were motivated by fears that their religious freedoms might be threatened under a Bola Tinubu-led government.

According to Abejide, those concerns have since eased, as President Tinubu’s conduct in office has shown that he does not favour religious extremism or discrimination of any kind.

“People now understand that the president is not a religious extremist, whether in Christianity or Islam,” he said, adding that the political environment has changed significantly since the 2023 polls.

The Kogi State lawmaker, who represents Yagba Federal Constituency, made the remarks shortly after Obi formally aligned with the African Democratic Congress (ADC). He cautioned opposition parties against assuming that the voting patterns from the last election can simply be repeated in future contests.

Abejide also questioned Obi’s recent party registration process, criticising the decision to register in Enugu State instead of his local ward in Anambra State. He described the move as unconventional and inconsistent with established political norms.

Commenting on talks of opposition coalitions, Abejide dismissed suggestions that merging votes from the 2023 presidential election would automatically defeat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027.

He further pointed to internal leadership disputes within the ADC, saying the party’s unresolved legal and structural issues weaken its ability to pose a serious challenge in the next election cycle.

Despite his criticisms, Abejide said the ADC remains open to new members, stressing that anyone interested in joining must follow due process and adhere to party structures.