Former Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, has formally defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), urging Nigerians and opposition groups to unite under a broad national coalition to “rescue Nigeria from poverty, disunity and democratic decline.”
Obi, a former Governor of Anambra State, announced his defection on Wednesday at the Nike Lake Resort, Enugu, during his New Year address. He accused the current political leadership of state capture, economic mismanagement, and the systematic erosion of democratic values.
Describing his move as one driven by national interest, Obi said the decision was guided by patriotism and called on his political allies, the Obidient Movement, and opposition leaders across the country to rally under the ADC.
“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.
Obi said Nigeria had reached a critical turning 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. That moment is now,” he stated.
He painted a grim picture of the country’s socio-economic situation, citing widespread poverty, unemployment, and insecurity.
“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,” Obi said.
Rejecting claims that Nigeria’s challenges were inevitable, Obi blamed leadership failure rather than a lack of resources.
“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 added.
Obi accused the political elite of deliberately exploiting ethnic and religious divisions to retain power, warning that such tactics were undermining national unity and inclusive development.
He also raised concerns about the integrity of future elections, stressing that electoral reforms were non-negotiable and warning against any attempt to rig the 2027 general elections.
Drawing from international comparisons, Obi cited Indonesia as an example of how leadership choices shape national outcomes.
“Indonesia and Nigeria started with similar characteristics, but while Indonesia is now a trillion-dollar economy, Nigeria is grappling with de-industrialisation, corruption and deepening poverty,” he said.
Obi further criticised the Federal Government’s tax reforms, describing them as anti-people and economically counterproductive. He warned that allegations of a forged tax law set a dangerous precedent, saying, “A tax regime founded on forgery cannot build trust, unity or prosperity.”
Positioning his defection as part of a strategic push toward 2027, Obi maintained that opposition unity was essential to challenging what he described as a government sustained by division and propaganda.