Ahead of the 2027 general election, a presidential hopeful under the National Rescue Movement (NRM), Faduri Oluwadare Joseph, has criticised former presidential candidate Peter Obi for joining the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Joseph, a former presidential aspirant of the Labour Party in the 2023 election, condemned Obi’s alliance with political heavyweights, including Atiku Abubakar and Nasir El-Rufai, saying it connects him to the very elites responsible for Nigeria’s current crisis.

Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja where he declared his intention to contest the 2027 Presidential election, Joseph questioned Obi’s choice of political platform ahead of the polls.

The presidential hopeful, who said he stepped down for Obi in the Labour Party during the 2023 presidential election, stated:, “Who are the people in ADC? They are the same individuals that Mr. Peter Obi contested against two or three years ago. The same people who brought Nigeria to where it is today. The same people who make sure that we have no light.

“The same people who are the problems of our country, were the ones that Mr. Peter Obi has gone to join. The question is, if he is given the ticket tomorrow, who are the people that will form his cabinet? These same people. So, this election would not be about one political class to another.”

Joseph argued that the 2027 election should mark a generational shift in governance.

According to him, Nigeria faces one of the highest youth unemployment rates in the world, rising insecurity, a struggling economy, a devalued currency, and widespread corruption.

“A country once flowing with opportunity is now burdened by poverty, hunger, kidnapping, and fear,” he said.

Joseph placed much of the blame on years of systemic corruption, mismanagement, and policies prioritizing personal interests over national development.

He highlighted the plight of Nigerians in the diaspora and health workers abroad who still bear the burden of families back home, often traveling overseas for medical care that should be available locally.

He added, “Men in their 80s and 90s are still running our government. Leadership in Nigeria needs the younger generation to run it better.

“This election is about the people, especially the youth, who have been suffering all these problems. We have oil, yet we suffer. We have water, yet we are thirsty. We have food, yet we are hungry.”

He stressed the need for leadership that prioritises Nigerians over entrenched political elites.

Joseph urged Nigerians to consider leadership over party allegiance, saying “It is time for a younger generation to run this nation, and it is time for leaders who will truly rescue the country,”.