Obi clarifies move to NDC, calls for a new Nigeria built on justice, competence, accountability, and compassion for citizens

Politics

ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — Mr Peter Obi, presidential aspirant under the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has explained that his decision to join the new party alongside Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso was driven by one clear purpose: to continue the struggle for a new Nigeria built on justice, competence, accountability, and compassion for the ordinary citizen.

In a statement titled “The condition of our nation and the urgent need to rescue Nigeria, informed my decision to leave ADC for NDC,” Obi stressed that the move was not born of anger, personal ambition, or convenience. “It came after deep reflection on the present condition of our nation and the urgent need to rescue Nigeria from the dangerous path it is currently heading,” he said.

Obi emphasized that politics must never be about individuals or personal gain, but about the people. He pointed to millions of Nigerians who can no longer afford necessities, whose businesses are collapsing, and whose children are losing hope.

He reiterated that he left the ADC for the same reason he left the Labour Party: “the severe, orchestrated litigation and internal crises deliberately designed to ensure that I, alongside many other notable individuals, do not effectively participate in the electoral process.”

Obi expressed gratitude to the ADC leadership: “I sincerely appreciate and remain deeply grateful to the Leadership of ADC for the opportunity to work together in pursuit of a better Nigeria. I am particularly grateful to ADC Chairman Senator David Mark for his exceptional Leadership. I also deeply appreciate my Leader and elder brother YE, Atiku Abubakar, as well as other respected leaders within the party.”

He appealed to the Nigerian government to discourage unresolved litigations and crises within political parties. “Democracy must never become a weapon against the people. A healthy democracy thrives on strong institutions, credible alternatives, and the freedom of citizens to make choices without intimidation, manipulation, or fear. Opposition parties must not be weakened or destroyed, because when democracy loses balance, the people ultimately suffer,” he said.

Obi, the 2023 Labour Party candidate, warned that Nigeria is passing through one of its most difficult periods, citing rising poverty, insecurity, and collapsing businesses. “Businesses are shutting down daily. Our young people are becoming discouraged, and many citizens have lost faith in the system. At a time like this, leadership must be driven not by propaganda or division, but by competence, capacity, character, and compassion,” he appealed.

He insisted that joining the NDC was not an abandonment of values but a continuation of the mission to build a Nigeria where leadership is about service, resources are managed responsibly, institutions function independently, and every citizen can live with dignity, security, and hope.

Campaigning under the banner “A new Nigeria is still Possible,” Obi pledged to work with Nigerians of goodwill across political, ethnic, and religious lines. “The task before us is bigger than any individual or political party. It is about the future of our children and the survival of our dear nation,” he said.

Obi thanked Nigerians, especially youths and women, for their resilience and peaceful spirit despite enormous challenges. “Nations do not change because people surrender to hopelessness; they change because people continue to believe, continue to sacrifice, and continue to stand for what is right,” he charged.