Peter Obi gives reasons for his move from one party to another

Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi has given an explanation for his move from one party to another, in his bid to become Nigeria’s president.

According to him, he was forced to move because most of the political parties in the country lacked ideological direction, coupled with internal crises that continued to weaken them.

Obi also accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of deliberately encouraging instability within opposition parties as part of a strategy to weaken alternative political platforms and reduce competition in the country’s democratic space.

Obi who spoke in an interview on Channels Television Sunday evening, said Nigerian democracy would only become stronger if all political parties were allowed to function independently without intimidation, infiltration or external interference.

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Responding to criticism that he often changes political parties, Obi emphasized that his decisions are determined by circumstances, not political convenience.

According to him, recurring crises, litigation and leadership disputes in many political parties make it difficult for politicians who really want reform to stick with the platform.

He argued that the absence of clear ideological principles had turned many political parties into mere electoral vehicles and not institutions built on political philosophy and national development goals.

Obi said: “The reason I changed parties was because of the instability in the parties. What we are facing now is a situation where the ruling party has an interest in ensuring that the opposition parties remain unstable.

According to him, a mature democracy will develop because political parties are built based on principles and policies, not based on individual personality and ambition.

He said political parties should provide alternative policy options to society rather than constantly battling internal crises regarding positions of leadership and control.

The one-time governor stated that no government truly committed to democracy should fear a strong opposition.

Instead, he said, constructive criticism and healthy political competition strengthen government by forcing those in power to do better.

Obi promised that if elected, he would guarantee the independence of political parties and ensure that security agencies and government institutions were never deployed to intimidate or manipulate opposition groups.

The former governor, who is one of the leading candidates in the 2023 presidential election after garnering more than six million votes, has contested elections on various political platforms since the beginning of the Fourth Republic.

He was the governor of Anambra State on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). He moved to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and ran as Atiku Abubakar’s running mate in 2019.

In 2023, he became the presidential candidate of the Labor Party (LP). He moved from there to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and soon left the Nigerian Democratic Congress (where) he was the presidential standard bearer for the January elections.