Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has announced his resignation from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), citing growing internal crises and external interference reminiscent of challenges that plagued his former party.
Obi disclosed his decision in a statement shared on his verified X (formerly Twitter) handle on Sunday, where he clarified that his exit was not driven by personal grievances against the party’s leadership.
“Let me state clearly: my decision to leave the ADC is not because our highly respected Chairman, Senator David Mark, treated me badly, nor because my leader and elder brother, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, or any other respected leaders did anything personally wrong to me. I will continue to respect them,” Obi stated.
He, however, expressed concern over what he described as a pattern of political interference and destabilisation, alleging that the same forces that undermined the Labour Party were beginning to infiltrate the ADC.
“However, the same Nigerian state and its agents that created unnecessary crises and hostility within the Labour Party that forced me to leave now appear to be finding their way into the ADC, with endless court cases, internal battles, suspicion, and division,” he added.
Obi warned that such distractions could derail the party from addressing Nigeria’s pressing socio-economic challenges, noting that politics should be centered on service and nation-building rather than control and exclusion.
Background
Obi, who was the Labour Party’s presidential flagbearer in the 2023 general election, emerged as a central figure in Nigeria’s opposition politics, particularly among young voters and urban constituencies. His campaign under the “Obidient” movement significantly reshaped the political landscape, breaking the long-standing dominance of the two major parties.
Following the elections, the Labour Party became embroiled in protracted leadership tussles and legal disputes, with factions laying claim to the party’s structure. Obi had repeatedly decried these internal crises, blaming external interference and weak institutional safeguards.
His subsequent alignment with the ADC was widely seen as part of broader coalition-building efforts among opposition figures, including Atiku Abubakar, aimed at strengthening a united front ahead of future elections.
However, Obi’s latest resignation signals fresh uncertainty within opposition ranks and raises questions about the viability of emerging political alliances in Nigeria, especially amid persistent concerns over internal democracy, judicial interventions, and state influence in party affairs.
As of the time of filing this report, Obi has not announced his next political move, leaving supporters and observers speculating about his future platform and strategy.
