According to news published by Vanguard on Wednesday, 31st December, 2025, former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi officially defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) during a well-attended event at Nike Lake Resort in Enugu. The move has sent shockwaves through Nigerian politics, as Obi called for a united opposition to “rescue” the country ahead of the 2027 elections.
Obi, who finished third in the 2023 presidential race and galvanised millions of young voters under the “Obidient” movement, explained his decision as a necessary step to build a stronger coalition. Surrounded by South-East political heavyweights, including senators and former governors, he urged his supporters and other opposition figures to join the ADC. “We are ending 2025 with hope that 2026 will mark the start of a real journey to save Nigeria from poverty, division, and poor leadership,” Obi said. He promised to resist any attempt to rig future elections through lawful means.
The defection did not go unanswered. Hours later, the Julius Abure-led faction of the Labour Party issued a scathing statement, expressing relief at Obi’s exit. National Publicity Secretary Obiora Ifoh described the move as a “liberation” and a “blessing” for the party, claiming internal crises blamed on Obi and Abia State Governor Alex Otti had been resolved.
In a surprising twist, the faction went further, apologising directly to Nigerians for nominating Obi in 2023. “We gave Nigerians a candidate we thought was good for the nation, but time has proved we made the greatest political mistake,” the statement read. “We plead for forgiveness from Nigerians.” They criticised Obi’s defection speech as lacklustre and vowed to rebuild the party with better prospects.