A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Hon. Chille Igbawua, has explained why the party and other opposition platforms performed poorly in the recent bye-elections across Nigeria.

Speaking on Arise News, Igbawua argued that the candidates who contested under ADC and other smaller parties were not directly nurtured by strong political leaders such as Peter Obi, Atiku Abubakar, or Nasir El-Rufai.

According to him, while party structures play a role in elections, personality and political influence are often more decisive.

“When Peter Obi contested for the presidency, he didn’t have a structure and still won 12 states, including Lagos. That shows how far personality can go in elections,” Igbawua said.

He maintained that if figures like Obi, Atiku, or El-Rufai had been directly on the ballot during Saturday’s elections, the outcome could have been different. “The image and political weight these leaders carry don’t automatically transfer to candidates they didn’t nurture,” he added.

His comments came after Presidential aide Bayo Onanuga mocked the opposition on X (formerly Twitter), sharing a photo of Obi, Atiku, and El-Rufai with the caption: “How is the market now?” following their poor showing.

In the bye-elections, the All Progressives Congress (APC) secured most of the seats, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) managed to record some wins.

Despite the losses, Igbawua insisted that ADC’s performance was still commendable, noting that the party had been “virtually silent” before the recent coalition that brought it back into the political conversation.

For him, the big lesson from the elections is clear: structures matter, but strong personalities win votes.