- Peter Obi has officially registered with the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in his hometown of Agulu, Anambra State
- Obi announced plans to challenge the newly passed Electoral Act 2026 in court, alleging that some provisions could enable manipulation in the 2027 general elections
- He accused INEC of overstepping its constitutional role by interfering in how political parties select their candidates
- The former Anambra governor claimed the new electoral law was hurriedly introduced to favour the ruling party ahead of the 2027 presidential election
The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has officially registered as a member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Obi completed his registration on Saturday, March 7, in his hometown of Agulu in Aniocha Local Government Area of Anambra State. During the event, the former Anambra State governor announced plans to challenge the newly enacted Electoral Act 2026 in court, alleging that the law contains provisions that could influence the outcome of the 2027 general elections.
He argued that certain aspects of the new electoral law appear designed to enable manipulation and weaken the integrity of future elections.
Obi also accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of exceeding its constitutional mandate by attempting to interfere in how political parties manage their internal processes, 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. 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.
The former governor further claimed that the law was rushed in a way that could benefit the ruling party ahead of the next presidential 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 urged party supporters and members to intensify grassroots mobilisation as preparations for the 2027 elections gather pace.
“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.
He also stressed the importance of unity among opposition parties, noting that discussions were ongoing across regions to strengthen collaboration ahead of the next election cycle.
“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 further criticised Nigeria’s current socio-economic conditions, describing the country as one of the poorest globally despite its vast natural and human resources.
“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,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the National Organising Secretary of the ADC, Chinedu Idigo, said the party’s membership registration exercise would be conducted through both physical centres and an online platform.
He advised intending members to complete the online registration process before visiting designated centres to obtain their membership cards.
Idigo also revealed that the party would adopt the direct primary system for selecting candidates in future elections.
According to him, about 50,000 membership cards had already been delivered to the state, with more expected in the coming days.
Also speaking at the event, the ADC candidate in the November 8, 2025 Anambra governorship election, John Nwosu, described Obi’s registration as a major boost 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 remain united and avoid internal divisions as the party prepares for future elections.
Reflecting on the 2023 general elections, Nwosu noted that issues such as vote buying, voter apathy and a shortage of polling agents affected the party’s performance, adding that steps were being taken to address those challenges ahead of upcoming polls.