Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has announced his exit from the African Democratic Congress, citing growing internal challenges within the party and wider concerns about Nigeria’s political climate.

Obi made the announcement in a statement posted on X on Sunday, saying the decision came after a period of deep reflection and what he described as “silent pains” endured while participating in the country’s political system.

According to him, Nigeria’s political environment has become increasingly hostile, marked by intimidation, insecurity, suspicion, and discouragement that often frustrate genuine efforts at public service.

“We now live in an environment that has become increasingly toxic, where the system that should protect and create opportunities often works against the people,” Obi said.

He also stated that he had faced unfair criticism and pressure within political circles where he had hoped to find support and reform-driven leadership.

“Some who publicly identify with you privately distance themselves or join in unfair criticism,” he said, adding that humility is frequently mistaken for weakness in Nigeria’s political space.

Obi clarified that his departure from the ADC was not linked to any personal disagreement with the party’s leadership, including former Senate President David Mark and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, both of whom he said he still holds in high regard.

According to him, the decision was influenced by what he described as the spread of unresolved political conflicts and recurring legal disputes that have continued to distract the party from addressing national issues.

“Let me state clearly: my decision to leave the ADC is not because our highly respected Chairman, Senator David Mark, treated me badly, nor because my leader and elder brother, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, or any other respected leaders did anything personally wrong to me. I will continue to respect them,” he stated.

“However, the same Nigerian state and its agents that created unnecessary crises and hostility within the Labour Party that forced me to leave now appear to be finding their way into the ADC, with endless court cases, internal battles, suspicion, and division, instead of focusing on deeper national problems and playing politics built more on control and exclusion than on service and nation-building.”

The former Anambra State governor stressed that he was not driven by personal ambition for political office, saying his priority remains the wellbeing of Nigerians.

“I am not desperate to be President, Vice President or Senate President. I am desperate to see a Nigeria where people can live in dignity, without hunger, fear, or displacement,” Obi said.

Despite his exit from the ADC, he maintained his optimism about the country’s future, insisting that responsible and compassionate leadership is still achievable.

“A new Nigeria is possible,” he declared.