ABUJA — In a move described by political analysts as a masterclass in opportunism, Hon. Joshua Chinedu Obika, the representative for AMAC/Bwari Federal Constituency, has announced his defection to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
Obika’s latest move comes with a startling claim: that he is joining the party out of “loyalty” to Peter Obi. However, the ink has barely dried on the lawmaker’s previous political maneuvers, which saw him not only dump Obi’s movement but allegedly denigrate the former governor in a desperate, failed bid for a ruling party ticket.
A History of Hostility
To many FCT voters, Obika’s sudden “return to the fold” is hard to swallow. Only months ago, after Peter Obi’s exit from the Labour Party, Obika made a loud and public defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
During his short-lived stay in the APC, the lawmaker reportedly turned his back on the very movement that catapulted him from obscurity to the Green Chamber. Reports from within the constituency suggest that Obika used his platform to question Peter Obi’s credibility as a leader, allegedly calling him “unprintable names” and mocking the “Obidient” structure as he attempted to prove his loyalty to the Tinubu administration.
The “Automatic Ticket” Strategy
The timing of Obika’s newfound “love” for Peter Obi appears to be less about ideology and more about survival. Inside sources within the FCT APC revealed that Obika was recently denied a return ticket for the 2027 elections by the party leadership.
Finding himself a “leader without a platform,” Obika has now made a swift 180-degree turn to join the NDC—the new coalition where Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso have taken shelter. Reports suggest that in exchange for joining the NDC, Obika has been promised the very thing the APC denied him: an automatic second-term ticket.
Constituents Fume over “Mercenary” Politics
The reaction in the FCT has been one of deep skepticism and anger. Social media platforms have been flooded with comments from Bwari and AMAC residents who feel the lawmaker has treated their mandate like a commodity for sale to the highest bidder.
“He rode the Obi wave into office, spat on Obi’s face when he thought the APC would give him a ticket, and now he is crawling back because the APC shut the door on him,” one constituent remarked. “This isn’t representation; it’s a political circus.”
Obika’s Defense
Faced with the backlash, Hon. Obika has urged his critics to focus on his “constituency projects” rather than his party hopping. However, with three party switches in a single term and a record of disparaging the leader he now claims to follow, his credibility in the eyes of the FCT electorate remains at an all-time low.
As the 2027 race begins, the question for Bwari and AMAC voters is whether they will once again support a candidate whose only consistent ideology appears to be his own re-election.
