By Crystal Ugoeze
Former Anambra State Governor and Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Mr. Peter Obi, has announced his decision to align with the African Democratic Congress (ADC), citing patriotism and national interest as the driving forces behind the move.
Speaking in Enugu at the end-of-year national address titled “It Is Now Time for National Unity and Prosperity,” Obi said Nigeria had reached a critical point that required a broad-based political coalition to confront what he described as deepening democratic erosion, economic hardship, and institutional failure.
Obi called on his supporters, members of the Obidient Movement, opposition leaders, and political actors across party lines to unite under the ADC, led by former Senate President David Mark. He described the coalition as a necessary platform to mobilise Nigerians committed to rescuing the country from decline.
“This decision is guided solely by patriotism and national interest,” Obi said, adding that history would not forgive silence in moments of national peril.
The former governor warned that Nigeria’s democracy was under serious threat, accusing the ruling political elite of undermining electoral integrity, weakening institutions, and governing through division. He stressed that the will of the Nigerian people must remain sacrosanct and insisted that any attempt to manipulate future elections, particularly in 2027, would be resisted through lawful and democratic means.
Obi renewed his call for urgent electoral reforms, including strict adherence to electoral laws, credible voter processes, and transparent transmission of results. He said electoral integrity was central to Nigeria’s national transformation and warned that the country must avoid the fate of other West African states where democratic breakdown had led to instability.
Highlighting Nigeria’s worsening socio-economic indicators, Obi said over 130 million Nigerians were living in multidimensional poverty, with youth unemployment, insecurity, and inflation at alarming levels. He argued that Nigeria’s crisis was not caused by lack of resources or capacity, but by leadership failure, corruption, and the deliberate exploitation of ethnic and religious divisions.
“Nigeria is not poor by nature; it has been looted into poverty,” he said, adding that the average Nigerian was hardworking but trapped in a system that rewarded mediocrity and punished merit.
Obi also criticised the government’s fiscal direction, particularly the proposed tax regime, which he said made citizens poorer without creating wealth. He condemned reports of alleged forgery surrounding tax legislation, describing them as dangerous to public trust and national unity.
Outlining his vision for economic recovery, Obi said Nigeria must move from consumption to production by prioritising agriculture and manufacturing, with special attention to unlocking the agricultural potential of Northern Nigeria. He maintained that honest, transparent, and people-focused leadership was essential to building national consensus and inclusive prosperity.
The former presidential candidate concluded by urging Nigerians at home and abroad to reject despair and ethnic division, and instead unite to peacefully reclaim their country through democratic action.
“Nigeria deserves leadership that unites, tells the truth, and governs with empathy,” Obi said. “A new, united, productive, and inclusive Nigeria is possible.”
His declaration is expected to reshape opposition alignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.