Obi quits Labour Party for ADC, signals new alliance ahead of 2027

Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, has formally left the party for the coalition-backed African Democratic Congress (ADC), putting an end to months of intense speculation over his political future and its implications for the 2027 presidential race.

The decision followed prolonged negotiations and extensive consultations, which ultimately tilted in favour of the ADC. Obi’s move is expected to reshape the opposition landscape, as his nationwide support base—over six million votes secured on the Labour Party platform in 2023—could merge with the comparable support garnered by Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party.

In the 2023 election, which produced Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress as president with more than eight million votes, both Obi and Atiku each polled over six million votes. This voting pattern underscores the strategic significance of Obi’s defection and explains the careful deliberations that preceded it.

The former Anambra State governor announced his defection on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, at an event held at Nike Lake Resort in Enugu. The gathering was attended by prominent political figures, including former Senate President David Mark.

Speaking at the event, Obi struck a hopeful tone, saying the move marked the beginning of a new chapter. “We are ending this year with the hope that in 2026 we will begin a rescue journey,” he said, adding that the coalition would “resist rigging of elections by every lawful means in 2027.”