Former Labour Party presidential candidate and ex-Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, has officially defected to the African Democratic Congress, urging opposition parties and Nigerians to unite under a broad coalition to “rescue the nation from poverty, disunity, and democratic erosion.”
Obi made the announcement during a New Year address at the Nike Lake Resort in Enugu on Wednesday, criticizing the current government for “state capture, economic mismanagement, and systematic weakening of democratic institutions.”
“This move is driven purely by patriotism and national interest. I now respectfully call on my political associates, the Obidient Movement, and opposition leaders nationwide to join this broad national coalition under the African Democratic Congress,” Obi stated. “History will not forgive silence in moments of national peril.”
Speaking on Nigeria’s challenges, Obi highlighted 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 intended for over 220 million Nigerians,” he said.
Obi rejected the notion that Nigeria’s current crisis is unavoidable, attributing it instead to leadership failures.
“Nigeria is not poor; it has been looted into poverty. The system rewards mediocrity and recycles failure, while the average Nigerian is neither lazy nor incompetent,” he said.
He also accused political elites of exploiting ethnic and religious differences to maintain power.
“Their expertise lies in creating divisions to sustain themselves in office. They show little or no interest in unity or inclusive development,” Obi added.
On electoral integrity, the former governor emphasized the need for reforms to prevent manipulation in the 2027 general elections. “We must safeguard the credibility of our elections. Attempts to rig the next polls will not be tolerated,” he warned.
Drawing on international examples, Obi compared Nigeria to Indonesia, noting that both countries began with similar characteristics but diverged due to leadership choices. “While Indonesia has become a trillion-dollar economy, Nigeria struggles with de-industrialization, corruption, and deepening poverty,” he said.
He also criticized the Federal Government’s tax reforms, describing them as “anti-people and economically counterproductive,” and expressed concern over reports of a forged tax law, calling it a “dangerous precedent that undermines trust and unity.”
Positioning his defection as a strategic step toward the 2027 elections, Obi stressed that opposition unity would be key to challenging “a government that thrives on division and propaganda.”
