The Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, alongside several prominent political figures from the South-East geopolitical zone, has officially announced their defection to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The declaration was made on Wednesday in Enugu, the Enugu State capital, where the leaders converged to publicly align with the ADC after what they described as extensive consultations.
They explained that the decision to join the ADC was informed by a shared resolve to work with opposition figures nationwide to “rescue Nigeria from the poor governance of the All Progressives Congress (APC)”.
Among those present at the gathering were former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha; Senators Ben Obi, Victor Umeh, Tony Nwoye and Gilbert Nnaji; Chief Onyema Ugochukwu; Enyinnya Abaribe; Senator Sam Egwu, as well as several serving and former members of the National Assembly.
The event also attracted political leaders from other parts of the country, including former Senate President and National Chairman of the ADC, David Mark; former Sokoto State Governor, Senator Aminu Tambuwal; former governors from the South-East; and other notable political stakeholders.
Speaking at the event, Obi described the move to the ADC as the start of a collective effort to reclaim Nigeria from the grip of the ruling party.
“Today is an important day; today is the last day of 2025, so we are ending this year with the hope that, in 2026, we will begin a journey of the rescue of our country for proper socio-economic development that will be unifying and inclusive.
“We have all watched those who benefited from our democracy, sometime now, become accessories to destroying our democracy, either through coercion and gangsterism against the opposition. We cannot allow this to happen, we will resist it,” Obi said.
The former Anambra State governor further warned that the opposition would not tolerate electoral malpractice ahead of the 2027 general elections, calling on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to adhere strictly to electoral laws.
“And we are saying that those who are planning to rig elections in Nigeria come 2027, we will resist it by every means lawful and legitimate. This happens because we have weak institutions like the INEC, which we are urging to act properly in the coming election.
“We must do whatever it takes to follow the rules and regulations, starting from educational qualification for eligibility to contest or seek any election.
“We can no longer be in a situation where they are asking whether this person went to school or not. We have one year now to determine who went to school and who didn’t go to school,” he said.
Obi stressed that opposition unity remains critical, arguing that the country urgently requires capable and credible leadership to address deepening national disunity.
With this declaration, Obi joins other influential political figures such as Atiku Abubakar, Rotimi Amaechi and Nasir El-Rufai, who had earlier announced their defection to the ADC, further shaping the political landscape ahead of the 2027 contest.
What you should know
Peter Obi’s formal move to the ADC marks a major shift in Nigeria’s opposition politics ahead of the 2027 elections.
By aligning with other heavyweights who have already joined the party, the ADC is positioning itself as a central platform for challenging the APC’s hold on power. Obi’s emphasis on electoral integrity, institutional reform and opposition unity reflects growing concerns about governance, democracy and public trust in Nigeria.
The declaration also signals intensified political mobilisation across regions as opposition leaders attempt to build a broad-based coalition capable of mounting a serious challenge in the next general election.
