Peter Obi, a former presidential candidate for the Labour Party, is preparing to officially join the African Democratic Congress while discussions continue in anticipation of the 2027 general elections.
A senior party official in Abuja informed Chronicle NG that Obi has finalized arrangements to join the party and will hold a declaration rally in Enugu, the political hub of the South-East, on December 31.
As per the official, supporters and loyalists of Obi have initiated plans for the defection.
The source revealed that Obi, after the ADC urged him to decide on joining the party around three weeks prior, met with the party’s National Chairman, David Mark, to reaffirm his commitment to the coalition.
He mentioned that the party’s stance could have persuaded the former Anambra State governor to ultimately choose to join the ADC.
On December 7, the ADC responded to a remark attributed to Obi, who labeled the party as unstable, urging the presidential aspirant to decide whether he would join the coalition or not.
In an interview with the press, a party source mentioned, “We know that Peter Obi is preparing to announce his candidacy for the ADC on December 31 in Enugu.” Even though he hasn’t officially notified the party, the intentions are sincere.
Speaking on why Obi would prefer to declare for the coalition in Enugu instead of Anambra, his home state, the party official said, “Enugu is the political capital of the South-East. Obi is representing the region, not just his state. That must have informed his decision.”
However, the ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said he could not confirm Obi’s planned defection.
“The point is that there is no official announcement yet. But consultations are ongoing,” he said.
In the same vein, the National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, Dr. Yunusa Tanko, refrained from providing direct commentary on the issue, asserting that only Obi had the authority to address it.
However, the National Working Committee of the Labour Party, led by Julius Abure, has minimized Obi’s intended defection.
He said, “We cannot fully comment on that until we hear from Obi. As we normally say, anybody can defect from anywhere to anywhere. It is normal in Nigerian politics. The Labour Party doesn’t see it as a big deal.”
Ifoh stated that if Obi chooses to exit the party, it would be due to personal aspirations instead of organizational shortcomings, asserting that the Labour Party would keep flourishing regardless.
The LP spokesman emphasized that the party held no resentment, stating it would have been better for Obi to stay within the group and resolve any differences internally.
He said, “But the wisest thing for him to do is to stay back and work with the party that gave him the spread he got in 2023. He should try to reconcile with the party leadership and move on from there. But if he prefers to jump from one party to another, we wish him all the best.”
In the meantime, the ADC plans to conduct its national convention in mid-2026 as a part of larger initiatives to realign the party before the 2027 general elections.
The party representative, Abdullahi, informed one of our correspondents on Saturday that the party is presently concentrating on countrywide mobilization, growing membership, and strengthening internal unity.
He stated that the party’s top priority was to establish a “strong organizational structure” nationwide, highlighting that the current membership registration would serve as the basis for upcoming congresses and conventions.
He indicated that 2026 would be a pivotal year for the party, especially since the preparations for selecting a presidential candidate would greatly reshape the political scene and invigorate party efforts across the country.
He said, “Don’t forget that by June or July, at the latest, we must have a presidential candidate. That will also add to the momentum and redraw the political dynamic.
“Once a presidential candidate emerges and you see people also coming up to contest the governorship election, it will change the momentum,” he stated.
He believes that the existing speed of political actions within the party shouldn’t be seen as unpreparedness, since election year dynamics usually lead to increased involvement.
Regarding the setting of a specific date for the ADC’s national convention, Abdullahi mentioned that talks were in progress but confirmed that the party intended to conduct two conventions in 2026.
“We will have the first convention to ratify the decisions that the NEC has taken this year. We will have another one to decide our next presidential candidate. That will come towards the middle of the year. But I cannot give you a definite date for now,” he said.
