The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has said Nigeria’s political parties lack clear ideological foundations, while alleging that politicians accused of corruption are often absolved once they defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Obi also dismissed suggestions that the endorsement of President Bola Tinubu by most state governors would guarantee victory in the 2027 presidential election, arguing that governors do not necessarily reflect the views of the electorate.
Speaking on Politics Today, a programme on Channels Television, Obi accused the ruling party of undermining opposition parties. He said the challenges facing the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the NDC mirrored those previously experienced by the Labour Party (LP).
He argued that political support from governors should not be equated with public backing.
“The 36 governors may support the president, but the people in the states are not necessarily with them,” Obi said. “It is one thing for a governor to support the president and another for the people to support him.”
Obi called on President Tinubu to ensure that the 2027 general election is free, fairI am appealing to young people, whose lives and futures are at stake, to join me in demanding free, fair and credible elections and credible, describing it as an opportunity to strengthen the country’s democratic legacy.
“I am asking for a free, fair and credible election, which will go down as part of his legacy,” he said. “I am appealing to young people, whose lives and futures are at stake, to join me in demanding free, fair and credible elections.”
He cited the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua as an example, recalling that Yar’Adua acknowledged shortcomings in the electoral process that brought him to office and pledged reforms. According to Obi, subsequent elections under his administration were more credible.
Obi maintained that no political party in Nigeria currently operates on the basis of a clear ideology.
“For me, there is no political party in Nigeria today that has an ideology,” he said. Nigeria required leaders with “competence, capacity, compassion, character and commitment”, adding that he would continue to advocate political reform regardless of his political “Otherwise, the ideology of the APC would be that if you are accused of corruption and then join the APC, you are no longer considered corrupt.”
He said Nigeria required leaders with “competence, capacity, compassion, character and commitment”, adding that he would continue to advocate political reform regardless of his political platform.
Obi further alleged that the Federal Government was contributing to instability within opposition parties and criticised what he described as interference by institutions responsible for regulating elections.
He said that, if elected president, he would encourage the growth of a strong opposition and ensure that political parties were free to manage their internal affairs without external interference.
“The regulator’s responsibility should be limited to conducting free, fair and credible elections,” he said. “Political parties should be free to choose their candidates and determine who they want to present for election.”
Responding to criticism over his movement between political parties, Obi defended his decisions, saying he left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) because internal rules were no longer being followed before joining the Labour Party. He claimed similar challenges had since emerged in both the Labour Party and the NDC.
“What is happening in the ADC, the NDC and what happened in the Labour Party would not happen if I were president,” he said. “We must build strong institutions that uphold fairness.”
Obi’s comments come amid ongoing political realignments and preparations for the 2027 general election.
