The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has formally registered as a member of the African Democratic Congress.
Obi, who completed his registration in his hometown of Agulu in Aniocha Local Government Area of Anambra State on Saturday, said he would challenge the newly passed Electoral Act 2026 in court over what he described as attempts to manipulate the outcome of the 2027 general elections.
He alleged that provisions of the new electoral law were designed to facilitate electoral manipulation and undermine the credibility of future elections.
The former governor of Anambra State accused the Independent National Electoral Commission of overstepping its constitutional role by attempting to interfere in how political parties conduct their internal processes.
According to him, the electoral body should focus on conducting credible elections rather than dictating how parties select their candidates.
“I am going to challenge the decision in court; INEC has no reason to assume processes in how political parties elect their candidates. 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 said.
Obi said the provisions of the new law appeared designed to favour the ruling party in 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.
He urged party members and supporters to intensify grassroots mobilisation ahead of the 2027 polls.
“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 presidential candidate also emphasised the need for political unity among opposition groups.
According to him, the South-East region is working collectively with other parts of the country to build a strong opposition ahead of the next elections.
“In this journey of 2027, we in the South-East are working as a family and discussing with other regions.
“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,” he added.
Obi also criticised the current socio-economic conditions, describing the country as one of the poorest globally despite its vast resources.
He stated, “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.
“We are committed to building a Nigeria where the child of a nobody can become somebody without knowing anybody.
The National Organising Secretary of the ADC, Chinedu Idigo, explained that the party’s membership registration exercise would be conducted both physically and online.
He urged prospective members to complete online registration before visiting designated centres to collect their membership cards.
Idigo added that the party would adopt the direct primary system in selecting its candidates for future elections.
He also disclosed that 50,000 membership cards had been sent to the state, with additional cards expected to arrive soon.
Also speaking at the event, the ADC candidate in the November 8, 2025 Anambra governorship election, John Nwosu, described Obi’s registration as a significant milestone for the party.
“This is a day of joy. The journey of Obi to the presidency begins today,” Nwosu said.
He urged party members to close ranks and avoid internal divisions ahead of future elections.
Reflecting on the 2023 general elections, Nwosu said challenges such as vote buying, voter apathy and inadequate polling agents had undermined the party’s performance, adding that efforts were being made to address those issues.
