Peter Obi formally registers with ADC, vows to challenge electoral act

Peter Obi joins ADC during Anambra registration drive and vows to challenge the 2026 Electoral Act ahead of the 2027 elections

Former Anambra State Governor and 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has formally registered as a member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as the party launched its membership registration and mobilisation exercise across the 21 local government areas of Anambra State.

Also read: Peter Obi blames poor leadership for Nigeria’s hardship

Peter Obi completed his registration at his hometown of Agulu in Anaocha Local Government Area on Saturday, where he also criticised the recently passed 2026 Electoral Act, announcing plans to challenge the law in court.

The former governor alleged that certain provisions in the legislation were deliberately structured to manipulate the outcome of the 2027 general elections.

According to him, the electoral framework appears to shift the focus of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from conducting elections to interfering in the internal processes of political parties.

“INEC has no reason to now assume processes in how a political party elects their candidates; they should rather focus on conducting elections,” Obi said.

The opposition figure argued that the electoral body should act strictly as a neutral umpire rather than dictating how political parties organise their candidate selection processes.

“As a referee, INEC’s role is to officiate and not to tell the team which players to play,” he added.

Addressing party members and supporters, Obi described the 2027 election as a defining moment for the country, framing the contest as a battle between Nigerians seeking better governance and what he characterised as entrenched poor leadership.

“The 2027 general election will be between Nigerians against bad leadership. We are committed to a Nigeria where the child of a nobody can become somebody without knowing anybody,” he said.

Obi also stressed that the South-East region was working in unity ahead of the next election cycle and was actively engaging with other regions to build a broader opposition coalition.

“In this particular journey of 2027, we in the South-East are working as a family and we are discussing with other regions. The common goal is to create a new Nigeria,” he stated.

Calling for grassroots mobilisation, Obi urged supporters to register with the party and participate actively in the political process.

“We have about 2.8 million registered voters in the state, so I urge everyone of you to go to the grassroots and ensure that you mobilise members to register and be ready to vote,” he said.

Earlier at the event, Ndi Obi, chairman of the occasion, said the party intended to provide a political platform where members could participate freely without intimidation or internal oppression.

The Chairman of the ADC Registration Committee in Anambra State, Ben Nwosu, described the exercise as a “task force operation” aimed at strengthening the party’s grassroots structure across the state.

The party’s National Organising Secretary, Chinedu Idigo, explained that registration would take place both online and physically, advising prospective members to complete digital registration before collecting their membership cards at designated centres.

Idigo added that the party would adopt a direct primary system for selecting its candidates and revealed that 50,000 membership cards had already been distributed across the state’s 21 local government areas, with more expected.

Also speaking, the ADC candidate in the November 8, 2025 Anambra governorship election, John Nwosu, described the registration drive as the beginning of a renewed political movement.

“This is a day of joy. The journey of Obi as president begins today,” he said.

Reflecting on the 2023 elections, Nwosu noted that challenges such as vote buying, voter apathy and inadequate polling agents had weakened the party’s performance, adding that new strategies were being developed to address those issues.

Meanwhile, several party leaders, including the Senator representing Anambra Central, Victor Umeh, also completed their registration at their respective wards, describing the mobilisation exercise as a historic step for the party following its national declaration in Enugu on December 31, 2025.

Also read: Obidient movement demands probe into alleged attack on Peter Obi

The event marked the official start of the Peter Obi joins ADC campaign in Anambra as the party intensifies grassroots mobilisation ahead of the next electoral cycle.

Quadri Olaitan