Nigeria, April 22 -- Former Speaker of the House of Representatives and Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, has urged the lawmaker representing Yagba Federal Constituency, Leke Abejide, to remain in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and "fight and scatter" forces seeking to wrest control of the party from him.

Mr Gbajabiamila made the remark at a dinner held in Abuja over the weekend in honour of Mr Abejide's wife, Esther Abejide, a deaconess, who marked her 50th birthday.

His comments come amid mounting political realignments and pressure on opposition figures ahead of the next election cycle.

In his remarks, the chief of staff framed Mr Abejide as a rare political figure who had sustained electoral success outside...