Peter Obi officially defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) on December 31, 2025, ending months of speculation amid Labour Party's vicious internal implosion that pitted him against Julius Abure's faction. The 2023 presidential runner-up cited "irreconcilable leadership crisis" and ADC's progressive platform as perfect for his 2027 comeback, hours after Obidient leaders teased his announcement.
Obi's exit follows Abia Governor Alex Otti's defiant "I stay in LP" vow despite rival NWC submissions to INEC, exposing the party's Abure-Otti schism that gutted its post-2023 momentum. Abure's camp branded Obi a "betrayer" while Otti's faction celebrated the move as freeing "Obidients" from toxicity, aligning with ADC's anti-establishment surge.
ADC National Chairman Ralph Nwosu welcomed Obi as "third force savior," predicting Southeast consolidation against Umahi's Tinubu pledges and Wike's Rivers dominance. The timing New Year's Eve amplifies Obi's mass appeal amid Fubara's APC jump, Kwankwaso's Kano warnings, and nationwide realignments.
Obidients erupted online with #ObiToADC trending, framing the defection as redemption from LP's "doomsday" while Southeast APC fractures like Enugu's Ada Ogbu resignation weaken Tinubu's bloc. PDP gloats at opposition splintering; Obi's ADC platform eyes coalition math for another strong 2027 challenge.