By Ghazali Ibrahim
Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has opened up on his decision to leave the African Democratic Congress (ADC), making his departure from ADC the fourth time he’ll leave a political party.
He cites what he described as a “toxic” political environment marked by intimidation, internal crises, and systemic challenges as reasons.
In a statement posted on his official X handle on Sunday, Obi said his exit from the party was not due to any personal issues with its leadership, including Chairman Senator David Mark or former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, whom he described as respected leaders.
Rather, he blamed persistent political instability and interference, which he said had begun to mirror the internal crises that plagued the Labour Party and forced his earlier departure.
“The same Nigerian state and its agents that created unnecessary crises and hostility within the Labour Party… now appear to be finding their way into the ADC, with endless court cases, internal battles, suspicion, and division,” Obi said.
However, several reports earlier pointed at Obi’s alleged plan to defect following the Supreme Court ruling which refers the leadership tussle back to the federal high court for determination.
The former Anambra State governor painted a broader picture of a political system he believes has become increasingly hostile to sincerity and service, lamenting that integrity, humility, and compassion are often misinterpreted as weakness.
According to him, the current climate is one where individuals striving to contribute meaningfully are subjected to scrutiny, pressure, and unfair criticism, sometimes even from close associates.
“We live in a society where humility is mistaken for weakness… and compassion is treated as foolishness,” he said, adding that even within political spaces, sincere efforts are often undervalued.
With his defection announced, sources are already pointing to his intention to join Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) who had already promised to placed him on the ballot if joins their party.
