iDeemlawfulFormer Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, has officially defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Obi, a former Governor of Anambra State, called on Nigerians and opposition groups to unite under a broad national coalition to “rescue Nigeria from poverty, disunity and democratic decline.”
The former Labour Party flagbearer announced his move at the Nike Lake Resort, Enugu, on Wednesday during a New Year address, where he accused the current political leadership of state capture, economic mismanagement and the steady erosion of democratic values.
“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,” he said.
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Presenting the defection as part of a wider national cause, Obi said the country had reached a defining moment and could no longer sustain 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. That moment is now,” he said.
He painted a grim picture of the nation’s condition, pointing to widespread poverty, unemployment and insecurity, noting that “With over 130 million Nigerians living in multidimensional poverty and more than 80 million youths unemployed, our people are in persistent agony. This is not the destiny God bequeathed to over 220 million Nigerians.
“Nigeria is looted into poverty”
Obi dismissed suggestions that Nigeria’s predicament was unavoidable, insisting that leadership failure, rather than scarcity of resources, lay at the heart of the crisis.
“As a nation, we are not poor; we are looted into poverty. Nigeria is not broken; Nigeria is severely betrayed. The average Nigerian is not lazy or incompetent, but the system is rigged to reward mediocrity and recycle failure,” he said.
He accused members of the political elite of intentionally exploiting ethnic and religious fault lines to cling to power.
“Their expertise lies in creating more divisions to sustain themselves in office. With little or no interest in unity or inclusive development,” he said.
Obi also issued a warning on the credibility of future elections, stressing that comprehensive electoral reforms were essential.
He cautioned against any attempt to manipulate the 2027 general elections.
Referencing his international engagements, Obi compared Nigeria’s path with that of countries that had recorded rapid progress through unity and purposeful leadership.
He cited Indonesia as a case study, saying, “Indonesia and Nigeria started with similar characteristics,” but while Indonesia has grown into a trillion-dollar economy, Nigeria continues to battle de-industrialisation, corruption and worsening poverty.
Obi further criticised the Federal Government’s tax reforms, describing them as anti-people and harmful to economic growth.
He condemned reports of a forged tax law, warning that such actions set a dangerous precedent. “A tax regime founded on forgery cannot build trust, unity or prosperity,” Obi said.
Framing his defection as a strategic step toward 2027, Obi stressed that opposition unity was crucial to unseating what he described as “a government that thrives on division and propaganda.”