Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) Peter Obi has offered an explanation for his movement from one party to another, in his quest to become president of Nigeria.
According to him, he had to move because most political parties in the country lack ideological direction coupled with the persistent internal crises that have weakened 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 an interview on Channels Television Sunday night, said Nigeria’s democracy would only become stronger when all political parties are allowed to function independently without intimidation, infiltration or external interference.
Responding to criticisms that he frequently changes political parties, Obi insisted that his decisions were dictated by circumstances rather than political convenience.
According to him, the recurring crises, litigations and leadership disputes in many political parties make it difficult for politicians who genuinely desire reform to remain in such platforms.
He argued that the absence of clearly defined ideological principles has turned many political parties into mere election vehicles instead of institutions built around enduring political philosophies and national development objectives.
Obi said: “The reason I changed parties is because of the instability in those parties. What we have today is a situation where the ruling party is interested in ensuring that opposition parties remain unstable.
According to him, mature democracies thrive because political parties are built around principles and policies rather than personalities and individual ambitions.
He said political parties should provide alternative policy options to citizens instead of constantly battling internal crises over leadership positions and control.
The one-time governor maintained that no government genuinely committed to democracy should fear a vibrant opposition.
Rather, he said, constructive criticism and healthy political competition strengthen governance by compelling those in power to perform better.
Obi pledged that if elected, he would guarantee the independence of political parties and ensure that security agencies and government institutions are never deployed to intimidate or manipulate opposition groups.
The former governor, who was one of the leading contenders in the 2023 presidential election after polling more than six million votes contested elections on different political platforms since the beginning of the Fourth Republic.
He was governor of Anambra State on the platform of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). He moved to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and ran as running mate to Atiku Abubakar in 2019.
In 2023, he was the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP). He moved from there to African Democratic Congress (ADC) and left shortly after for the Nigerian Democratic Congress (where) he is the presidential standard bearer for the January election.
(Ripples)