ENUGU, DECEMBER 31, 2025 – In a dramatic move signaling a major realignment in Nigeria’s opposition politics, former presidential candidate Peter Obi today announced his departure from the Labour Party and joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC), declaring that “the time for national unity and prosperity is now.”
Speaking before a gathered crowd in Enugu as 2025 drew to a close, Obi delivered a sweeping, passionate indictment of Nigeria’s current political class, warning that the nation’s democracy is “under threat” and its people “in persistent agony.” He framed his switch not as mere political maneuvering, but as a necessary step to build a “broad national coalition” capable of rescuing the country from state capture and economic decline.
“We must reclaim our country from a small group of opportunists who have captured the corridors of power and return it to its rightful owners – the Nigerian people,” Obi stated, his voice rising with conviction. He accused the ruling party and its agents of perfecting “coercion, manipulation, and outright gangsterism” to undermine democracy, vowing that Nigerians would “decisively defeat any attempt to manipulate or rig future elections.”
The speech was as much a lecture on leadership as it was a political declaration. Obi detailed his global quest for answers to Nigeria’s problems, citing his studies and meetings with renowned figures like Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame and Indonesia’s former leader Joko Widodo. He painted a stark contrast: where Rwanda’s GDP per capita grew 500% since 1995, Nigeria’s has declined from $1,225 to below $1,000.
“Our problem in Nigeria is one of leadership and lack of unity,” he asserted, quoting Nobel laureate Prof. James Robinson. “Our dear nation cannot grow and develop without unity and competent leadership as against the current political leadership adept at exploiting our differences.”
Obi saved some of his sharpest criticism for the government’s economic policies, specifically condemning the recent tax regime, which he called a product of forgery and manipulation. “Taxing poverty will not create wealth. It will lead to more poverty,” he argued. “A forged tax regime cannot create wealth and sustain national unity.”
The culmination of his address was a direct appeal to his supporters, the Obidient Movement, and all opposition elements to unite under the ADC, led by former Senate President Sen. David Mark. “This decision is guided solely by patriotism and national interest,” Obi said. “History may forgive wrong decisions, but it will not forgive silence in moments of national peril.”
He framed the 2027 elections as a historic mission. “Our job next time is to vote them out and keep vigil until they are out… Together, let us move forward with courage, unity and resolve. A new, united, productive and inclusive Nigeria is possible.”
The move shakes Nigeria’s political landscape to its core, transforming the ADC from a peripheral party into a potential powerhouse and setting the stage for a fiercely contested 2027 election cycle. Obi’s message is clear: the battle lines are drawn not just between parties, but between what he calls a “criminal enterprise” in power and a coalition demanding unity, transparency, and transformative leadership. The nation now watches to see who will answer his call.
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