Former Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Mr. Peter Obi, has formally defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), calling on opposition parties and groups to unite ahead of the 2027 polls.
Obi announced his defection on Wednesday at the Nike Lake Resort in Enugu during a New Year address, where he accused the current political leadership of state capture, economic mismanagement and the erosion of democratic values.
The former Anambra State governor urged Nigerians, the Obidient Movement and opposition leaders across the country to rally under what he described as a broad national coalition to rescue the country from poverty, disunity and democratic decline.
“This decision is guided solely by patriotism and national interest. I now respectfully call on my political associates, the Obidient Movement and opposition leaders across the country to join this broad national coalition under the African Democratic Congress. History will not forgive silence in moments of national peril,” Obi said.
He described his move to the ADC as part of a wider national mission, noting that Nigeria had reached a critical point and could no longer afford divisive politics.
“As the year 2025 ends today, we stand on the threshold of a new beginning. For Nigeria, moments of profound national challenge demand clarity of purpose and decisive action,” he said.
Obi painted a grim picture of the country’s socio-economic situation, citing widespread poverty, unemployment and insecurity. According to him, over 130 million Nigerians are living in multidimensional poverty, while more than 80 million youths are unemployed.
He argued that Nigeria’s challenges were the result of leadership failure rather than lack of resources, saying the country was “looted into poverty” and betrayed by those in power.
Obi accused the political elite of exploiting ethnic and religious divisions to remain in office and warned that reforms of the electoral system were critical to the credibility of future elections.
He also cautioned against any attempt to manipulate the 2027 general elections, insisting that electoral integrity was non-negotiable.
Drawing comparisons with other countries, Obi cited Indonesia as an example of how leadership choices influence national development, noting that while both countries started from similar positions, Indonesia had become a trillion-dollar economy while Nigeria struggled with de-industrialisation and corruption.
He further criticised the Federal Government’s tax reforms, describing them as anti-people and economically counterproductive, and warned that reports of a forged tax law could undermine public trust.
Positioning his defection as a strategic step toward 2027, Obi said opposition unity was essential to challenging what he described as a government sustained by division and propaganda.
