The African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition has claimed that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is being held hostage by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), adding the former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, could not risk returning to the opposition party.

“Everyone knows that the jugular of PDP is still in the hands of APC,” ADC spokesperson Bolaji Abdullahi said in an interview aired on Arise TV on Monday. “Peter Obi, more than anyone else, knows that he can’t take the risk of going to the PDP.”

Mr Bolaji’s comments came amid rumours that the former Anambra State governor might return to the opposition party for fear of being denied the ADC presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 election.

Asked whether Mr Obi is fully in the ADC, its spokesperson said, “Not per say clearly that Peter Obi is in the coalition regardless of what anybody is saying.”

Mr Bolaji further said the emergence of the ADC coalition challenged the PDP to begin movement towards restructuring the party ahead of 2027.

“But it is good to see that it has taken the coming onboard of the ADC to get PDP to begin to make some movement,” he noted.

Mr Bolaji, however, described PDP as a compromised platform under the firm control of the ruling party, accusing the party’s stakeholders of endorsing President Bola Tinubu for a second term.

He claimed, “You see PDP governors leaving PDP everyday to join the ruling party. You hear PDP governors endorsing President Tinubu as their preferred candidate for 2027. You see PDP bigwigs saying that they no longer believe in this party because it has been compromised.”

Since the launch of the ADC as a mega coalition to challenge Mr Tinubu in 2027, several politicians including Dumebi Kachikwu and Festus Keyamo have claimed the platform was packaged for former president Atiku Abubakar’s presidential ambition, claiming Mr Obi would be duped.

Meanwhile, Mr Obi declared he remains a member of the Labour Party despite joining other opposition politicians to form the coalition.