Former Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, has formally joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC), declaring that Nigeria has reached a “defining moment” that requires the formation of a broad national coalition to challenge the current political order.
Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, announced the move on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, during a New Year’s address at the Nike Lake Resort in Enugu.
He accused the nation’s leadership of “state capture, economic mismanagement, and the steady erosion of democratic norms,” saying his decision was driven by what he described as patriotism and national interest.
He said, “I call on my associates, the Obidient Movement, and opposition figures nationwide to rally under a united platform in the ADC. History will not be kind to silence in moments of national peril.”
He warned that Nigeria stood at a turning point, insisting that the country could no longer afford divisive politics and complacency in the face of worsening socioeconomic challenges.
Obi painted a bleak picture of current realities, citing multidimensional poverty, unemployment, and insecurity as symptoms of leadership failure.
He argued that Nigeria’s problems were not a result of inadequate resources but of mismanagement and corruption.
He stated, “We are not a poor country; we have been looted into poverty, accusing sections of the political elite of exploiting ethnic and religious differences for personal gain.
He also renewed calls for comprehensive electoral reforms and cautioned against any attempts to compromise the 2027 general elections.
Referencing global development experiences, Obi contrasted Nigeria’s trajectory with Indonesia’s, saying both countries began with similar conditions but diverged because of leadership choices.
He further criticised recent tax reform initiatives, calling them anti-people and warning that any fiscal framework tainted by forgery would erode public trust.
Positioning his defection as part of a strategy ahead of 2027, Obi stressed that only a united opposition could effectively challenge what he described as a government that benefits from division and propaganda.
The Labour Party leadership responded swiftly, saying Obi’s departure was neither surprising nor regrettable.
In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, the party described the defection as “a relief” and the formal end of a political partnership that, according to it, had already broken down.
The party said it had long anticipated his exit and questioned the substance of Obi’s new political direction, dismissing his Enugu speech as uninspiring.
It further alleged that the internal crises that plagued the party in recent months were instigated by Obi and Abia State Governor Alex Otti, accusing them of sponsoring unrest against the party’s leadership.
The party also criticised the Enugu event, claiming it was poorly attended by major political or traditional stakeholders in the South-East.
Going further, the party apologised to Nigerians for fielding Obi as its 2023 presidential candidate, describing that decision as a political misjudgment, and vowed to present what it called a stronger and more unifying alternative ahead of future elections.
While Obi urged Nigerians to rally around a new coalition under the ADC banner, the Labour Party maintained that his presidential ambitions were now “a closed chapter,” setting the stage for a new phase of political realignment ahead of 2027.
