Peter Obi, the former Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections and former Governor of Anambra state, has officially defected to the African Democratic Congress.
Obi urged Nigerians and opposition forces to unite under a broad national coalition to rescue Nigeria from poverty, disunity and democratic decline.
Obi made his defection announcement at the Nike Lake Resort, Enugu on Wednesday, where he delivered a New Year address, criticizing the current political leadership for state capture, economic mismanagement and systematic erosion of democratic values.
“This decision is inspired solely by patriotism and national interest. I now respectfully appeal to 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 indifference in times of national crisis,” he said.
Presenting his defection as a key component of a larger national agenda, Obi asserted that Nigeria had reached a critical crossroads and could no longer tolerate politics of division.
“As the year 2025 draws to a close today, we stand at the threshold of a new beginning.
For Nigeria, moments of profound national challenge demand clarity of purpose and resolute action.
That moment is now,” he said. He described Nigeria as a nation in acute distress, citing pervasive poverty, unemployment, and insecurity, saying, “With over 130 million Nigerians living in multidimensional poverty and more than 80 million youths unemployed, our people are in relentless agony.
This is not the destiny bequeathed to over 220 million Nigerians.”
“Nigeria is pillaged into poverty” Obi refuted allegations that Nigeria’s crisis was inevitable, positing that leadership failure, rather than resource dearth, was responsible.
“As a nation, we are not impoverished; we are pillaged into destitution.
Nigeria is not broken; Nigeria is grievously betrayed. The average Nigerian is not slothful or inept, but the system is manipulated to reward mediocrity and perpetuate failure,” he declared.
He charged that the political elite were deliberately exacerbating ethnic and religious divisions to remain in power.
“Their expertise lies in creating more divisions to sustain their tenure in office, with little interest in promoting unity or inclusive development,” he said.
Obi issued a stern warning regarding the integrity of future elections, underscoring that reforms to the electoral system were essential.
He cautioned against attempts to rig the 2027 general elections.
Obi leveraged his international engagements to draw a comparison between Nigeria’s development trajectory and that of countries that have achieved rapid growth through unity and effective leadership.
He referenced Indonesia as a prime example of the impact of leadership choices on a nation’s development.
“Indonesia and Nigeria initially shared similar characteristics,” Obi observed, “yet Indonesia has emerged as a trillion-dollar economy, whereas Nigeria is grappling with de-industrialisation, corruption and deepening poverty.”
Obi voiced criticism of the Federal Government’s tax reforms, deeming them anti-people and economically counterproductive.
He described reports of a forged tax law as a dangerous precedent. “A tax regime rooted in forgery cannot foster trust, unity or prosperity,” Obi asserted.
Positioning his defection as a strategic move toward 2027, Obi underscored the importance of opposition unity in defeating what he described as “a government that thrives on division and propaganda.”
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