Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has announced his decision to leave the African Democratic Congress, citing what he described as an “increasingly toxic” political environment and a system that “works against the people” instead of protecting them.
In a reflective statement released Sunday morning after church service, Obi said the silent pains many Nigerians carry daily — “private struggles, emotional burdens, and quiet battles” — compelled him to speak out despite personal constraints.
“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,” Obi said. “A society where intimidation, insecurity, endless scrutiny, and discouragement have become normal.”
Obi stressed that his departure from the ADC was not due to any personal grievance with party leaders. “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,” he stated.
Instead, he pointed to what he called state-induced crises now affecting the ADC, similar to what he experienced in the Labour Party. “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,” Obi said.
He lamented that politics in the country is increasingly “built more on control and exclusion than on service and nation-building,” adding that even within spaces where he laboured sincerely, he was sometimes “treated like an outsider in one’s own home.”
“Your team become easy targets for every failure, frustration, or misunderstanding, as though honest contribution has become a favour being tolerated rather than appreciated,” he noted.
Obi decried the misinterpretation of values in Nigeria’s public space. “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.”
He restated his philosophy of leadership: “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.”
Addressing speculation about his political ambitions, Obi said: “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.”
He questioned why integrity and prudence are often punished in Nigeria’s political culture. “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?”
Despite the challenges, Obi said he remains resolute about Nigeria’s future. “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.”
He signed off with his signature mantra: “A new Nigeria is POssible.”
The ADC has not yet issued an official response to Obi’s exit. Political analysts say the move will further realign opposition dynamics ahead of the 2027 general elections, especially as court cases continue to trail the party’s leadership dispute between the David Mark-led faction and challengers.
Obi’s statement has since sparked widespread reactions across social media, with supporters praising his consistency while critics questioned the timing of his departure from another party.
