By Isaac Samuel
The Presidency and the Labour Party (LP) have reacted to the defection of the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), dismissing the move as unsurprising and politically insignificant ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Obi announced his defection on Tuesday at a political rally held at the Nike Lake Resort Hotel, Enugu, where he said his decision was informed by what he described as a renewed commitment to rescuing Nigeria from poor governance.
“We are ending this year with the hope that in 2026 we will begin a rescue journey,” the former Anambra State governor said. “We will resist rigging of elections by every lawful means in 2027.”
He moved to the ADC alongside some political leaders and stakeholders from the South-East, who said the decision followed months of consultations aimed at building a broad opposition coalition to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
However, reacting to the development, the Julius Abure-led National Working Committee of the Labour Party described Obi’s exit as a “liberation” for the party, insisting that it had long severed political ties with the former presidential candidate.
In a statement issued in Abuja by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, the LP said Obi’s defection merely formalised a separation that had occurred months earlier amid the party’s prolonged leadership crisis.
“The leadership of the Labour Party took note of the defection of its 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and a few of his supporters to the African Democratic Congress,” the statement said.
“We have patiently waited for this day. The party is finally liberated by this defection and, as party leaders, we count it as a blessing.”
The party accused Obi and some of his loyalists in the National Assembly of engaging in anti-party activities and attempting to undermine the Abure-led leadership, noting that several lawmakers aligned with the former presidential candidate had already been suspended.
The LP also blamed Obi and Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, for the internal crisis that rocked the party, accusing them of sponsoring moves to unseat the current leadership. It further dismissed the Enugu rally as poorly attended, claiming it was boycotted by key political and traditional stakeholders in the South-East.
“The charade which took place in Enugu was largely boycotted by prominent political and traditional institutions in the South-East,” the party said, adding that Obi had “lost the charm” that endeared him to voters during the 2023 election.
Meanwhile, the Presidency also played down Obi’s defection, describing it as the latest move by a politician with a history of frequent party switches.
In a reaction attributed to Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Obi was portrayed as a “wandering politician” still bitter over the outcome of the 2023 presidential election.
The Presidency faulted Obi’s continued claim that he was robbed of victory in 2023, arguing that available analyses showed he could not have won the election and was fortunate to have finished third.
It also criticised Obi’s frequent references to foreign development models, arguing that Nigeria’s challenges require homegrown solutions rather than what it described as “copy-and-paste” governance ideas.
Onanuga defended the performance of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, citing key reforms such as the removal of petrol subsidy, efforts to restructure the economy, reduced dependence on oil revenues, increased focus on gas development, improved foreign reserves and stabilisation of the exchange rate.
He also pointed to major infrastructure projects, including the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway and the Sokoto–Badagry Superhighway, as well as ongoing tax reforms scheduled to commence fully in January, as evidence of what he described as decisive leadership.
According to the Presidency, Obi’s move to the ADC would not alter the political landscape, predicting that the former LP candidate would play a subordinate role in any opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 polls.
Obi, who has previously belonged to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), ran for president on the LP platform in 2023, finishing third behind President Tinubu and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.
