Former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Usman Yusuf, has claimed that the political strength of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar forced former Anambra State governor Peter Obi and former Kano State governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso out of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Yusuf made the remarks while reacting to reports of the recent political realignment involving Obi and Kwankwaso, who were said to have moved from the ADC to the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) amid ongoing permutations ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking during a televised political programme, Yusuf argued that the dominance and political experience of Atiku within the opposition bloc created an atmosphere too competitive for other presidential hopefuls.
According to him, both Obi and Kwankwaso may have realised that co-existing politically with Atiku in the same platform would diminish their chances of emerging as leading opposition figures ahead of the next presidential contest.
“Atiku was stronger than Obi and Kwankwaso, that’s why they ran away,” Yusuf stated during the interview with Trust TV.
The former NHIS boss further suggested that the latest movements within the opposition camp reflected the intense struggle for control and influence among key political actors seeking to position themselves for 2027.
