Abuja, October 16, 2025 – In a candid exchange with journalists in the nation's capital, Peter Obi, the Labour Party's presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, delivered a resounding message of democratic resilience and principled leadership. Responding to the flurry of high-profile defections from the South-East region to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Obi categorically stated that such moves by governors and lawmakers would not translate into an automatic "capture" of the region for President Bola Tinubu's re-election bid in 2027. His remarks, delivered with characteristic poise and clarity, underscore a broader narrative of voter sovereignty in Nigeria's evolving democracy, far removed from the era of military decrees.
The defections in question have sent ripples through the political landscape, particularly in the South-East, a region historically pivotal in national elections due to its bloc voting patterns and cultural cohesion. Just days ago, Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah, alongside several lawmakers from Anambra, Imo, and Abia states, formally crossed over to the APC. This development is widely perceived as a strategic maneuver by the ruling party to consolidate its influence in the Igbo heartland ahead of the 2027 polls. Political analysts speculate that the APC, under Tinubu's leadership, is aiming to peel away opposition strongholds, leveraging incentives like federal appointments, infrastructure projects, and financial patronage to sway key figures.
Obi, however, was unequivocal in his rebuttal when accosted by reporters outside a public event in Abuja. "The recent defection of some South Eastern state governors to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) will not guarantee that the ruling party will capture the state in the 2027 general elections," he declared, emphasizing that Nigeria's current democratic framework renders such "captures" obsolete. Drawing a sharp contrast with the military regimes of the past, where states could be seized through force or fiat, Obi painted a picture of an empowered electorate. "Nigeria is currently a democracy, not under military rule where states can be 'captured,'" he explained. "The people will ultimately decide where to go, not governors or Senators. No party will capture or win any state just because it has a governor."
Delving deeper into the specifics of Governor Peter Mbah's defection, Obi extended a personal olive branch while critiquing the APC's broader ambitions. Mbah, a Harvard-trained lawyer and technocrat who assumed office in 2023 amid controversies over his academic credentials, has been a rising star in Enugu politics. His switch to the APC is seen as a coup for Tinubu, potentially unlocking federal resources for Enugu's ambitious "Sleep Less, Deliver More" agenda, which includes urban renewal and agricultural reforms. Yet, Obi, who shares a longstanding friendship with Mbah from their days in Anambra and national business circles, refused to personalize the critique. "Peter Mbah is a good friend of mine," Obi affirmed warmly. "And I believe that as governor, he must have taken his decision based on his own political views and calculations."
Turning to the APC's alleged plot to "capture" the South-East for Tinubu's re-election, Obi dismantled the notion with historical and philosophical insight. The South-East, comprising five states with over 20 million voters, has long been a Labour Party bastion, thanks to Obi's 2023 sweep where he garnered over 95% of votes in the region. The APC's incursion, bolstered by defections, echoes past efforts by the People's Democratic Party (PDP) and others to engineer "victories" through elite alliances. But Obi invoked the spirit of true leadership: "We are not in a military time when you capture people. You are a leader. You tend to do the right things for them to follow you. So I don’t think anybody is capturing anywhere. The government needs to do more if it wants the people to support it."
Obi's words resonate amid Nigeria's deepening economic woes—galloping inflation at 34%, naira depreciation, and youth unemployment exceeding 50% in the South-East. Recent defections coincide with federal pledges of N1 trillion for regional infrastructure, including the long-delayed Second Niger Bridge expansion and Enugu's international airport upgrades. Critics, including Obi allies in the Labour Party, argue these are "carrots" to mask governance failures, such as the unresolved herdsmen-farmer clashes and marginalization of Igbo interests in federal appointments. Obi's response pivots the discourse to performance metrics: Only by delivering tangible dividends—jobs, security, and equity—can the APC earn the South-East's mandate, not through gubernatorial chess moves.
Shifting gears, Obi addressed the upcoming October 20 protest organized by activist Omoyele Sowore for the unconditional release of Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). Kanu, arrested in 2021 after jumping bail in 2017, remains in solitary confinement at the Department of State Services (DSS) despite a 2023 Supreme Court ruling quashing his rendition. The protest, under the #FreeNnamdiKanu banner, has galvanized civil society, with Sowore's Sahara Reporters amplifying calls for justice. Obi, a consistent voice on the issue since his 2022 campaign, reaffirmed his stance without reservation.
"I've always been consistent on Nnamdi Kanu’s situation," Obi stated firmly. "There was no need for his arrest in the first place. And I’ve always said that for me, I will consult, negotiate and discuss with anybody who is agitating. I said it clearly and I remain there." Referencing his pre-2023 advocacy—tweets from 2020 decrying Kanu's detention as "unjust," 2022 rallies in Onitsha demanding dialogue, and 2024 interviews urging presidential pardons—Obi positioned himself as a bridge-builder. "I thank those who are actually trying to do or say what we’ve been saying for a long time. Go and check what I’ve said before 2020, 2022 and even 2024."
As the matter progresses through the courts, with a fresh hearing slated for November, Obi broadened his appeal: "And now that it has gone to court, the rules should be followed. Not just for Nnamdi Kanu, but for all agitators across the nation. Let’s dialogue with them." This inclusive approach extends to Niger Delta militants, Oduduwa agitators in the South-West, and even Boko Haram remnants in the North, advocating a national conference on restructuring. "There’s nothing wrong with anybody agitating or saying let’s dialogue with them," he added. "And whatever we do with them, let’s follow the rules. So I thank the organisers and those who are involved."
Obi's dual commentary arrives at a tense juncture. The APC's South-East push risks inflaming secessionist sentiments, while the Kanu protest could draw thousands to Abuja streets, echoing the 2020 #EndSARS uprising. Labour Party chieftains, including National Chairman Julius Abure, have hailed Obi's remarks as a "masterclass in democratic maturity," predicting a 2027 backlash against defectors. Polls by Nextier suggest 68% of South-East voters prioritize governance over party loyalty, aligning with Obi's thesis.
In essence, Peter Obi's Abuja encounter reaffirms his role as the South-East's moral compass. By rejecting "capture" politics and championing dialogue, he not only neutralizes APC gains but also charts a path for Nigeria's fractured federation. As 2027 looms, his message is clear: In democracy's arena, the people's will is the ultimate sovereign. Whether Tinubu's machine can pivot to "doing the right things" remains the billion-naira question.
