The former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has announced his resignation from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), citing a worsening political environment marked by internal crises, external interference, and growing hostility within party structures.
Obi announced this in a statement issued on Sunday, May 3, 2026.
Obi said his decision followed deep reflection, describing the current political space as “increasingly toxic,” where intimidation, insecurity, and persistent scrutiny have become the norm.
He stressed that his exit was not due to any personal grievances with key figures in the party, including former Senate President and ADC Chairman, David Mark, or former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, noting that both leaders treated him with respect.
Obi attributed his departure to what he described as systemic challenges within Nigeria’s political landscape, alleging that the same forces that destabilised the Labour Party have begun to infiltrate the ADC through legal disputes, internal divisions, and power struggles.
Obi lamented what he called a culture where sincerity and humility are often misinterpreted as weakness, while integrity and prudent management of public resources are undervalued.
Obi stated: “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.”
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The former two-term governor of Anambra State also decried a lack of solidarity among political associates, saying individuals who publicly show support sometimes distance themselves or engage in criticism behind the scenes.
Reflecting on his personal values, he maintained that his approach to leadership has always been rooted in service, fairness, and uplifting others, rather than the use of power or privilege to intimidate.
Obi further clarified that he is not driven by personal ambition for high office but by a desire to see improvements in national welfare, particularly in areas such as security, poverty reduction, and access to basic services.
Obi added: “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.”
Despite his resignation, he expressed optimism about Nigeria’s future, affirming his belief that the country can still achieve competent leadership grounded in justice, compassion, and equal opportunity.
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