The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has downplayed the defection of former presidential candidates Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso from the party, describing their departure as a temporary setback.

Speaking on Wednesday during an appearance on Arise Television’s *Morning Show*, the National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the party had already overcome the impact of their exit and remained focused on its broader political objectives.

Obi and Kwankwaso recently left the ADC for the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), citing internal disputes and ongoing court cases within the party as reasons for their decision.

Reacting to the development, Abdullahi described the defections as “a glitch,” insisting that the ADC had since stabilised and continued to pursue its mission of strengthening opposition politics in the country.

“Peter Obi and Kwankwaso moving from the ADC was a glitch. We have moved on from it,” he said.

“We have stabilised and moved forward because the objective remains the same — stopping the steady deterioration of governance in the country and strengthening multi-party democracy.”

He added that despite the movement of some members to other political parties, efforts to build a formidable opposition coalition ahead of future elections were still ongoing.

“While some have moved to other parties and others remain in ADC, the broader vision of building a strong opposition coalition is still very much alive within the current political dynamics,” Abdullahi stated.