Peter Obi announces decision to leave the ADC, cites internal issues, expected to join new party alongside Kwankwaso

In a personally signed statement released on Sunday, May 3 via his X account, Obi said his decision was not driven by personal grievances or a desperate desire to become the president, but by a deepening culture of division, suspicion, and systemic disruption within the party.

He also raised concerns about what he called external interference, warning that similar destabilising forces he previously experienced in the Labour Party appear to be emerging within the ADC.

Although there are speculations that Obi may be aligning with the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) alongside former Kano State governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, with whom he intends to run for the presidency in the 2027 elections, no official confirmation has been made.

"Fellow Nigerians, good morning.

I woke up this morning after my church service with a deeply reflective heart, and despite every constraint, I felt compelled to share these thoughts with you.

Many people do not truly understand the silent pains some of us carry daily—the private struggles, emotional burdens, and quiet battles we face while trying to survive and serve sincerely in difficult circumstances.

We now live in an environment that has become increasingly toxic, where the very system that should protect and create opportunities for decent living often works against the people—a society where intimidation, insecurity, endless scrutiny, and discouragement have become normal.

More painful is when some of those you associate with, believing you would find understanding and solidarity among them, become part of the pressure you face. Some who publicly identify with you privately distance themselves or join in unfair criticism.

We live in a society where humility is mistaken for weakness, respect is seen as a lack of courage, and compassion is treated as foolishness—a system where treating people equally is questioned simply because you refuse to worship status, tribe, class, or power.

Personally, I have never looked down on anyone except to uplift them. I have never used privilege, position, or resources to oppress others, intimidate the weak, or make people feel small. To me, leadership has always been about service, sacrifice, and helping others rise.

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.

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, instead of focusing on deeper national problems and playing politics built more on control and exclusion than on service and nation-building.

Even within spaces where one labours sincerely, one is sometimes treated like an outsider in one’s own home. You and your team become easy targets for every failure, frustration, or misunderstanding, as though honest contribution has become a favour being tolerated rather than appreciated.

And when you choose to leave so that those you are leaving can have peace, and you step out into the cold, you are still maligned, and your character is questioned. Despite all your efforts to continue working for a better Nigeria and engaging people with sincerity and goodwill, those who do not wish you well continue to attack your character and question your intentions.

There are moments I ask God in prayer: Why is doing the right thing often misconstrued as wrongdoing in our country? Why is integrity not valued? Why is the prudent management of resources, especially when invested in critical areas like education and healthcare, wrongly labelled as stinginess? Why are humility and obedience to the rule of law often taken to be weakness rather than discipline?

Let me assure all that I am not desperate to be President, Vice President, or Senate President. I am desperate to see a society that can console a mother whose child has been kidnapped or killed while going to school or work. I am desperate to see a Nigeria where people will not live in IDP camps but in their homes. I am desperate for a country where Nigerian citizens do not go to bed hungry, not knowing where their next meal will come from.

Yet, despite everything, I remain resolute. I firmly believe that Nigeria can still become a country with competent leadership based on justice, compassion, and equal opportunity for all."

In 2025, Peter Obi joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which had become the leading opposition party ahead of the 2027 elections. Weeks after Obi joined the ADC, which is chaired by the former Senate President David Mark, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar also joined the party. Abubkar has since declared his intentions to run for president with 2027 being his last outing.

Obi's decision to leave the ADC ahead of its primary elections suggests his lack of faith in the process, which he previously said he hoped would be credible enough to produce the best candidate.

Presidency reacts, mocks Obi’s Exit

The Presidency has reacted sharply to Obi’s resignation, with the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, criticising the former governor.

In a post on X, Onanuga described Obi as a “political nomad” and a “politician made of jelly,” suggesting that his exit from the ADC was motivated by an inability to compete for the party’s presidential ticket against figures like Atiku Abubakar and former Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi.

“The political nomad is on the move again. Ignore all those puerile reasons he gave in these illogical musings,” Onanuga wrote.

He further accused Obi of taking “the easy road” and predicted a repeat of his 2023 electoral outcome, adding, “He always blames the government without doing a soul-searching of himself. Welcome, Peter, to the 2027 race.”

APGA (2003–2014)

Obi began his political career with the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), under which he contested and won the Anambra State governorship election in 2006. He went on to serve two terms.

PDP (2014–2022)

In 2014, he defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and later became the vice-presidential candidate to Atiku Abubakar in the 2019 general election.

Labour Party (2022–2023)

Obi joined the Labour Party in May 2022 after leaving the PDP. He emerged as the party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, securing about 6.1 million votes to finish third.

ADC (2025)

In 2025, Obi moved to the African Democratic Congress, citing internal challenges within the Labour Party. He formally joined the party at an event in Enugu and obtained his membership card in Agulu Ward 2, Anaocha LGA of Anambra State.