Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has criticised Nigeria’s political system, alleging that politicians accused of corruption are often perceived as being absolved once they defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Obi made the remarks during an interview on *Politics Today*, a Channels Television programme aired on Sunday night.
According to him, Nigeria’s political parties lack clear ideological foundations and are largely driven by personal interests rather than principles.
“For me, there is no political party in Nigeria Today that has an ideology. There is none. Otherwise, the ideology of the APC would be that if you are corrupt and you move to the APC, you are no longer corrupt,” he said.
The former Anambra State governor argued that Nigeria needs competent, committed leaders with integrity and compassion, rather than politicians who switch parties for personal gain.
Obi also accused the ruling party of weakening opposition parties, alleging that the crises affecting the African Democratic Congress (ADC), the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and, previously, the Labour Party (LP), were not coincidental.
“The president said it, and it is happening. When opposition parties are having problems, that is his wish. Because of it, they are destroying the judiciary,” Obi alleged.
He said that if elected president, he would protect opposition parties and ensure they operate freely without interference from the government or regulatory agencies.
Obi also dismissed claims that endorsements by state governors would guarantee President Bola Tinubu victory in the 2027 presidential election, arguing that governors’ support does not always reflect the wishes of the people in their respective states.
