Former Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, has formally defected to the African Democratic Congress.
Obi, who is also a former Governor of Anambra state, urged Nigerians and opposition forces to unite under a broad national coalition to “rescue Nigeria from poverty, disunity and democratic decline.”
Obi announced his defection at the Nike Lake Resort, Enugu on Wednesday, where he delivered a New Year address, accusing the current political leadership of state capture, economic mismanagement and systematic 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.
Presenting his defection as part of a larger national mission, Obi said Nigeria had reached a critical turning point and could no longer afford politics of division.
“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 described Nigeria as a nation in deep distress, citing widespread 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 persistent agony. This is not the destiny God bequeathed to over 220 million Nigerians.