THE presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi, has formally registered as a member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), marking a significant development in Nigeria’s evolving political landscape ahead of the 2027 elections.
News Point Nigeria reports that Obi completed his membership registration on Saturday in his hometown of Agulu, located in Aniocha Local Government Area of Anambra State, where he also announced plans to challenge the recently passed Electoral Act 2026 in court.
The former governor of Anambra State alleged that certain provisions contained in the new electoral law were deliberately designed to facilitate manipulation of the electoral process and undermine the credibility of the 2027 general elections.
According to him, the hurried passage of the law raised serious concerns about the integrity of future polls and appeared aimed at giving undue advantage to the ruling party.
Obi also accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of overstepping its constitutional mandate by attempting to dictate how political parties conduct their internal affairs, particularly in the selection of candidates.
“I am going to challenge the decision in court; INEC has no reason to assume processes in how political parties elect their candidates,” Obi stated.
“Its responsibility is to conduct elections. You don’t tell a team how to prepare its players before a match. As a referee, INEC’s role is to officiate, not to determine which players a team should field,” he added.
The former presidential candidate maintained that the provisions of the new electoral law appeared strategically crafted to favour the ruling party ahead of the next general election.
“All the laws being hurriedly created are simply aimed at enabling the ruling party to snatch the 2027 presidential election and run away with it,” he alleged.
Obi used the occasion to call on party members and supporters to intensify grassroots mobilisation in preparation for the upcoming elections.
He stressed the importance of voter registration and active participation in the democratic process, particularly in Anambra State, which he said has significant voting strength.
“We have about 2.8 million registered voters in Anambra, and I urge everyone to go to the grassroots and mobilise people to register and be ready to vote,” he said.
The former governor also emphasised the need for stronger political collaboration among opposition parties and stakeholders across the country.
According to him, leaders from the South-East region are already engaging in discussions with other regions to build a formidable political alliance capable of presenting a credible alternative in the 2027 elections.
“In this journey of 2027, we in the South-East are working as a family and discussing with other regions,” Obi said.
“The goal is to unite the opposition and create a new Nigeria. The South-East is part of Nigeria and no region is more Nigerian than the South-East.”
Obi further expressed concern over Nigeria’s current socio-economic conditions, describing the country as one of the poorest in the world despite its abundant natural and human resources.
He said the worsening poverty levels and economic challenges facing Nigerians underscored the urgent need for a new direction in governance.
“We cannot continue in an era where Nigeria has become one of the worst five countries in the world and the poverty capital of the world,” he stated.
“We are committed to building a Nigeria where the child of a nobody can become somebody without knowing anybody.”
Also speaking at the event, the National Organising Secretary of the ADC, Chinedu Idigo, explained that the party had introduced a hybrid membership registration process that allows individuals to register both physically and online.
Idigo urged prospective members to complete their online registration before visiting designated registration centres to collect their membership cards.
He disclosed that the party had already dispatched 50,000 membership cards to Anambra State, with additional cards expected to arrive soon as interest in the party continues to grow.
The party official also revealed that the ADC would adopt the direct primary system in selecting its candidates for future elections, a move he said was aimed at strengthening internal democracy within the party.
Meanwhile, the ADC candidate in the November 8, 2025 Anambra governorship election, John Nwosu, described Obi’s registration as a major milestone that could significantly boost the party’s prospects in future elections.
“This is a day of joy. The journey of Obi to the presidency begins today,” Nwosu declared.
He urged party members to remain united and avoid internal divisions that could weaken the party’s chances in future electoral contests.
He, however, assured supporters that the party was already working to address those challenges and strengthen its organisational structure ahead of upcoming elections.