The All Progressives Congress has reaffirmed its commitment to President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid, assuring that victory is certain, even as former presidential candidate Peter Obi dumped the Labour Party for the African Democratic Congress ahead of the next race.
Obi, a former Governor of Anambra State, declared his defection to the ADC on Wednesday at Nike Lake Resort in Enugu, calling on Nigerians and opposition groups to come together under a broad national coalition to “rescue Nigeria from poverty, disunity and democratic decline.”
Obi had joined other opposition leaders in July to present the ADC as a coalition platform to challenge President Tinubu in the 2027 election.
Under the leadership of former Senate President David Mark as national chairman and former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola as national secretary, the ADC has been positioning itself as a major opposition party ready to take on the APC, Tinubu’s party, in the upcoming poll.
Before Obi officially registered as an ADC member, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who joined the party in November, had confirmed on August 25 that he would contest for the presidency in 2027.
Similarly, former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, who joined the ADC in July, confirmed on August 28 that he would seek the party’s presidential ticket.
With Atiku, Amaechi, and Obi all expressing their intentions to run, the number of aspirants vying for the ADC’s 2027 presidential nomination has grown significantly.
Explaining his reasons for leaving the LP for the ADC, Obi stated that his decision was driven by patriotism and a desire to rescue Nigeria from the APC.
“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.
Framing his defection as part of a broader national mission, Obi stated that Nigeria had reached a crucial juncture and could no longer tolerate divisive politics.
“As the year 2025 ends today (Wednesday), 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 portrayed Nigeria as a country in profound crisis, highlighting widespread poverty, unemployment, and insecurity, stating, “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. Nigeria is looted into poverty.”
Obi dismissed assertions that Nigeria’s crisis was unavoidable, contending that it stemmed from leadership failure rather than a shortage of resources.
“As a nation, we are not poor; we are looted into poverty. Nigeria is not broken; Nigeria is severely betrayed. The average Nigerian is not lazy or incompetent, but the system is rigged to reward mediocrity and recycle failure,” he said.
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