The Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, along with other political leaders from the South-East geopolitical zone, has officially declared for the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The leaders gathered in Enugu, the capital of Enugu State, on Wednesday to make the declaration.
They stated that after months of consultations, they had decided to join the ADC and collaborate with other opposition leaders from across the country to “rescue Nigeria from the poor governance of the All Progressives Congress (APC)”.
Those present at the event included former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha; Senators Ben Obi, Victor Umeh, Tony Nwoye, and Gilbert Nnaji; Chief Onyema Ugochukwu; Enyinnya Abaribe; Senator Sam Egwu; as well as several other Senators and members of the House of Representatives.
Other party leaders from across the country were also in attendance, including former Senate President and National Chairman of the ADC, David Mark; former Sokoto State Governor, Senator Aminu Tambuwal; former governors from the South-East; and other dignitaries.
In his speech at the event, Peter Obi said the move to the ADC marks the beginning of the journey to rescue the country from the APC.
“Today is an important day; today is the last day of 2025, so we are ending this year with the hope that, in 2026, we will begin a journey of the rescue of our country for proper socio-economic development that will be unifying and inclusive.
“We have all watched those who benefited from our democracy, sometime now, become accessories to destroying our democracy, either through coercion and gangsterism against the opposition. We cannot allow this to happen, we will resist it,” Obi said.
The former Anambra State governor also vowed that the opposition will resist any attempt to rig the 2027 elections, warning the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) to strictly follow the rules and regulations.
“And we are saying that those who are planning to rig elections in Nigeria come 2027, we will resist it by every means lawful and legitimate. This happens because we have weak institutions like the INEC, which we are urging to act properly in the coming election.
“We must do whatever it takes to follow the rules and regulations, starting from educational qualification for eligibility to contest or seek any election.
“We can no longer be in a situation where they are asking whether this person went to school or not. We have one year now to determine who went to school and who didn’t go to school,” he said.
Obi emphasised the need for unity among the opposition, asserting that Nigeria needs competent leadership to turn the tide of current disunity in the country.
Obi also faulted the Federal Government’s tax reform policies, saying they are hostile to the people and detrimental to economic growth.
Peter Obi joins other political heavyweights such as Atiku Abubakar, Rotimi Amaechi, Nasir El-Rufai, among others, who earlier in the year declared for the ADC, setting the stage for a political battle to wrest power from the APC in 2027.
(Channels Tv)
