Peter Obi, the former Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, has formally defected to the African Democratic Congress.
He urged Nigerians and opposition forces to unite under a broad national coalition to “rescue Nigeria from poverty, disunity and democratic decline.”
Obi made the announcement of 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.
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. He cited widespread poverty, unemployment and insecurity as major issues bedevilling the nation, 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.
Obi rejected claims that Nigeria’s crisis was inevitable, arguing that leadership failure, not lack of resources, was responsible. He went further to accuse the political elite of deliberately exploiting ethnic and religious divisions to remain in power, and cautioned against attempts to rig the 2027 general elections.
Obi criticised the Federal Government’s tax reforms, describing them as anti-people and economically counterproductive.
He described reports of a forged tax law as a dangerous precedent. “A tax regime founded on forgery cannot build trust, unity or prosperity,” Obi said.
He concluded by calling on Nigerians across political, ethnic and religious lines to rise above partisan interests and reclaim the nation’s future through peaceful civic engagement and collective resolve. According to him, only a united front committed to transparency, justice and accountable leadership can halt Nigeria’s steady decline and set the country on a path toward genuine renewal and shared prosperity.
