Dickson Iroegbu, a chieftain of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has criticised former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s repeated presidential bids, describing him as the “contestant general of the federation.”
Speaking on Mic On Podcast on Saturday, July 4, 2026, Iroegbu alleged that Atiku views election contests “more like a business than governance.”
“I told Peter Obi that it was a wrong move to join the ADC if there was no deal with Atiku. Anybody who knows Atiku Abubakar will understand that contestation has become more like a business to him. In fact, I describe him as the contestant general of the federation; since 1992 he has been on this race,” he said.
Iroegbu said he had advised Obi against joining the African Democratic Congress (ADC) without a prior political agreement with Atiku. He noted that Obi joined the ADC in 2025 as part of an opposition coalition but later left the party after citing internal crises, leadership disputes and prolonged legal challenges.
According to Iroegbu, Obi subsequently joined the NDC, arguing that the ADC’s internal divisions undermined its ability to serve as a credible opposition platform ahead of the 2027 general elections.
