“Internal Party Disputes Are Normal” – Peter Obi Speaks on NDC Crisis

Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) for the 2027 general elections, said internal disagreements in political parties are normal and should not be mistaken for crisis.
Obi spoke Tuesday on an interview broadcast by Nevon Media, where he addressed concerns about tensions within his party and wider political reactions to opposition criticisms.

He said all political organisations have their differences from time to time but these issues are usually resolved internally.

“Every organization has disagreements and little problems. It’s how you handle them. “They are mostly resolved, and the party moves on,” he said.

Obi also spoke about concerns raised by some party members like Aisha Yusuf, saying differences of opinion and expressions of dissatisfaction are part of political engagement and do not necessarily mean a structure is broken.

On the issue of the legal tussle and public allegations against chieftain Kenneth Okonkwo, Obi said the matter was triggered by public allegations that could not be ignored.

“Situations like this arise when people make statements that require legal clarification,” he said.

He emphasized the need for accountability and evidence in political communication.

“Leaders should be open to scrutiny and allow the public to question their conduct,” Obi insisted.

“As leaders, we need to be open to scrutiny so the public can see who we are and what we stand for,” he said.

Future leaders, he added, must be selected based on integrity, competence and character, not mere political loyalty.

“It is very important that those who will lead us must be people of character, integrity, competence and proper qualification,” he said.

Accountability in politics, Obi added, also means allowing past and present actions of leaders to be examined where necessary in the interest of the public.

Last week, Peter Obi filed a ₦5 billion defamation suit against Kenneth Okonkwo over alleged damaging remarks made during a televised interview.

Okonkwo had been highly critical of Obi’s political decisions, including his exit from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition and his move to the newly formed NDC.

In an interview he also called Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso “political conmen” for leaving the coalition after having backed it before.

According to court documents, the suit is predicated on comments allegedly made on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on June 8, 2026, in which Okonkwo was reported to have accused Obi of corruption and dubious political dealings.

Others are allegations of bribery of N10 million from House of Representatives aspirants, manipulation of party primaries and misconduct in the conduct of candidate selection processes.