Obi Dumps LP For ADC, Pull Political Leaders Across Parties Along
Mr Peter Obi, the former Labour Party presidential candidate has officially joined African Democratic Congress (ADC) national coalition party.
Obi joined the ADC officially at Nike Lake Hotel, Enugu with prominent political leaders including former governors, legislators, youth, and women leaders in attendance.
Chief Simeon Okeke was the Chairman while Sen. Victor Umeh who anchored the event.
Okeke explained the significance of holding the event in Enugu, the capital of the old Eastern Region.
He called on Igbos to ensure that the message of unity and progress was carried forward.
Speaking at the event, Obi urged Nigerians to unite across political, ethnic, and religious lines to rescue the country from worsening socio-economic hardship and democratic decline.
He said Nigeria had reached a defining moment that required clarity of purpose, courage, and decisive collective action.
He said that as 2025 comes to a close, the country must embark on a new struggle for true independence, founded on self-determination, human equality, and national reunification.
Obi criticised a small political elite for capturing state institutions and diverting them from serving the Nigerian people, noting that many former beneficiaries of democratic governance had become complicit in electoral injustice and the erosion of democratic norms.
He warned that any attempts to manipulate or rig future elections would be resisted through lawful and legitimate means, stressing that the will of the Nigerian people is sacrosanct and non-negotiable.
Obi said urgent reform of the electoral process, strict adherence to electoral laws, transparent transmission of results, and credible elections in 2027 would be a critical step toward restoring public trust and responsive governance.
He described Nigeria as a nation in grave distress, Obi cited widespread poverty, youth unemployment, insecurity, and deepening disunity as evidence of governance failure.
He said no fewer than 130 million Nigerians lived in multidimensional poverty, while millions of young people remain unemployed leading to frustration and despair.
Obi condemned a political class that thrives on division, rewards mediocrity, and feeds on corruption, stressing that ordinary Nigerians are neither lazy nor incompetent but constrained by a system rigged against merit and hard work.
Speaking, Umeh announced that all Labour Party members, including Obi, had formally resigned to join the ADC.
Emeka Ihedioha moved a motion for all National Assembly members present to follow Obi into the ADC, seconded unanimously by Prof. Osita Ogbu.
Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe there and then announced his resignation from APGA, pledging loyalty to Obi, while Aisha Yusuf declared her intention to become a card-carrying member of the ADC for the first time, inspired by Obi’s leadership.
Chief Onyema Ugochukwu expressed his desire that Obi became the presidential candidate of the ADC.
“I am one of the old men who feel it is time to give room to younger people,” he said.
Sen. David Mark, Chairman of the ADC, highlighted the party’s founding principles of equality, justice, and progressiveness.
Mark praised the South East’s support and pledged that the party would uphold internal democracy, to respect its members, create jobs, and provide productive and inclusive leadership.
The event also attracted a wide array of prominent political leaders, statesmen, and movement representatives.
Some dignitaries at the occasion were former Senate President David Mark; Chief Simeon Okeke; Peter Obi, former governors Achike Udenwa and Sam Egwu, Okwesilieze Nwodo; Senator Aminu Tambuwal.
Chief Ben Obi, Emeka Ihedioha, Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe, Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor; Sen. Victor Umeh; Chief Ralph Nwosu; Dr Josephine Anineh, Sen. Tony Nwoye; Mr Afam Ogene; Sen. Gilbert Nnaji and Chief Onyema Ugochukwu.
Others were Mr Idu Emeka, Mr Peter Aniekwe, Mr Oby Orogbu, Mr Nonso Smart, Mr Chinedu Idigo; Prof Chinyere Stella Okunna, Chief Fidel Okafor, Chief Joe-Martins Uzodike, Prof. Patrick Obi, Onyeanwuna Ezeani and Prof. Pat Utomi.
The Obidient Movement was led by Dr Yunusa Tanko, among many others.
