The Eastern Union (EU) has described the defection of former Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Mr. Peter Obi, to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as a “New Year’s gift to many Nigerians.”
Speaking with THE WHISTLER in Enugu on Friday, EU National President, Hon. Charles Anike, said Obi’s move would pose a serious political challenge to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to Anike, Obi’s defection has rekindled hope among Nigerians who desire a strong opposition capable of confronting the APC.
“The defection is not only a welcome development but a renewed source of encouragement to Nigerians. Our energies have been revived, and the political atmosphere will surely change,” he said.
Anike added that many Nigerians had long prayed for a formidable political platform to counter the APC, stressing that the 2027 elections would not be business as usual.
He dismissed recent defections of some state governors to the APC as political theatrics, describing them as attempts to mislead Nigerians ahead of another election cycle.
“Young Nigerians who feel wounded by the system are warming up to shock the APC in 2027. These defections are empty threats and a miscalculation aimed at deceiving the electorate once again,” he stated.
The EU president pledged that the group would intensify voter education and mobilization efforts to ensure that more eligible Nigerians obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) ahead of the next election.
“The voter turnout will be significantly higher this time to counter any rigging plans. Obi’s defection on the eve of the New Year has renewed hope for socio-political and economic freedom,” Anike said.
He further argued that Obi made the right decision by leaving the Labour Party rather than joining the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), claiming both parties had been compromised by internal infiltration.
“Both LP and PDP have been infiltrated by political moles. Despite this, Obi’s performance in the 2023 election unsettled the APC and kept it on edge,” he noted.
Anike concluded that Nigerians had been keenly awaiting Obi’s next political move, adding that the Eastern Union would begin nationwide sensitization to encourage citizens to remain engaged in the democratic process and work toward reclaiming the country from what he described as years of political misrule.
