Rivers LP Faction Loyal to Peter Obi Defects to ADC Ahead of 2027

The faction of the Labour Party (LP) in Rivers State loyal to the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), further reshaping the opposition landscape in the state ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The defection comes barely two weeks after Obi himself joined the ADC, an opposition coalition party that has continued to gain momentum amid growing public dissatisfaction with Nigeria’s economic and political situation.

The move was led by the former Rivers State Chairman of the LP faction, Gogo Wellington, alongside members of the Obidient Movement across the state.

Speaking at a meeting with party stakeholders and journalists in Port Harcourt on Monday, Wellington announced the decision to collapse the group’s political structure into the ADC coalition.

He said the defection became inevitable following the exit of the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate and their political leader, Peter Obi, from the party.

Wellington, who also serves as the Secretary of the Obidient Movement in Rivers State, described Obi as the most credible political figure capable of steering Nigeria out of its current socio-economic challenges.

“The exit of our principal from the Labour Party marks the end of our sojourn in the Labour Party,” he said.

“We are therefore moving with our structure within the Labour Party and the Obidient Movement across the 23 local government areas in Rivers State to join our leader, His Excellency Peter Gregory Obi, in the African Democratic Congress.

“The deteriorating state of our economy, worsening insecurity, monumental drop in the standard of living of average citizens, total disregard for constitutional provisions and many other woes have made it clear that the time to coalesce to rescue this nation is now or never,” Wellington added.

Also speaking, the Rivers State Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, Dr Sofiri Peterside, said widespread frustration over worsening living conditions had strengthened the resolve of reform-minded Nigerians to rally around a credible alternative.

Peterside noted that prevailing hardship had reinforced the need for a political coalition anchored on good governance and people-oriented leadership.

“We belong to a country with plenty but little to feast on. Social amenities and healthcare should be rights, but they are enjoyed by a very few who control our common patrimony,” he said.

“That is why we are standing with this man. He may not be a saint, but he is shining and leading among equals in the political class as someone who has the interest of the common man — the you, the me, the organiser, the market woman.”

Receiving the defectors, the Rivers State Chairman of the ADC, Leader Sampson, assured them of full integration and equal participation within the party’s structure.

He said the ADC was committed to building a united and formidable coalition capable of advancing the collective interest and welfare of Rivers people.

“For Rivers State, we have decided as brothers to come together and work for the benefit of Rivers people,” Sampson said.

“We welcome the Labour Party and the Obidient Movement into the ADC. Everybody in this coalition has equal rights.

“We are here to build a stronger and more robust political party that will rescue Nigeria and Rivers State. By 2027, this is not a joke. We cannot allow a few individuals to take us for a ride anymore.”

The defection signals a significant shift in opposition politics in Rivers State and further positions the ADC as a growing platform ahead of the 2027 general elections, with political observers already viewing the party as a potential major challenger to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).