Former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, has explained that his decision to leave the Labour Party (LP) was driven by claims that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) would not recognise any LP leadership as long as he remained in the party, a situation he said made his continued stay politically untenable.
Obi made the disclosure while affirming his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) at the OBIDIENT Conference and official declaration for ADC held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, with the theme “Activating the PO Effect in ADC.”
Addressing supporters, the former governor said his exit from the Labour Party was not voluntary but compelled by political realities surrounding electoral recognition.
“I left LP when I got informed that as long as I remain in the party, INEC will not recognize its leadership, that the federal government doesn’t want me on the ballot,” Obi told the gathering.
He insisted that regardless of obstacles, he remains resolute about contesting the next presidential election.
“I want to assure you that I will contest the coming election even if it is held in their bedroom, and if they don’t want to transmit the results, we will transmit them for them,” he declared.
Obi also launched a scathing critique of the current administration’s economic record, particularly its borrowing profile.
“The current administration has collected more loans than every other administration, and most of these loans will be repaid from 2045 to 2050 when most of the people who plunged the country into this indebtedness are no more,” he said.
Looking ahead to his policy priorities if elected, Obi pledged massive investment in education and healthcare, arguing that sustainable national development is impossible without deliberate focus on human capital.
He said his government would be committed to lifting Nigerians out of poverty and curbing criminality through inclusive economic policies and social investment.
Obi further promised to confront corruption head-on, stressing that leadership by personal example remains the strongest antidote to graft.
“When I became governor of Anambra, I advised my wife to forget about the Office of First Lady because we were not elected together. I approved over 100 Certificates of Occupancy on government land, but had none for myself or family. If you find any, petition me to the appropriate authority,” he emphasised.
Also speaking at the event, the Coordinator of the OBIDIENT Movement worldwide, Dr. Tanko Yunusa, charged supporters to begin early mobilisation for the 2027 general election, urging them to channel their collective strength into ADC as the platform for electoral victory and national rebirth.
Similarly, the Akwa Ibom State Coordinator of the movement, Dr. Ben Smith, framed the coming election as a generational struggle rather than a personal ambition.
“The 2027 presidential election is not about an individual but about a generation, jobs for the youths, security for families, dignity for workers and hope for every Nigerian,” Smith said.
Obi’s remarks signal a decisive break from the Labour Party crisis and place ADC at the centre of his renewed presidential ambition, even as questions linger over INEC’s role and the broader political forces shaping the 2027 contest.
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