Former Anambra State Governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, on Wednesday campaigned for African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate Justina Azuka in the upcoming Onitsha North State Constituency by-election, despite still being a member of the Labour Party.
Obi, spotted wearing an ADC-branded cap, joined Mrs. Azuka’s campaign ahead of Saturday’s poll. The widow of the late Labour Party legislator for Onitsha North entered the race under the ADC banner after her husband was killed last December.
The slain lawmaker was abducted on December 24, 2024, along Ugwunaobankpa Road in Inland Town, Onitsha, while returning home for Christmas. His body was recovered weeks later, on February 6, 2025, near the Second Niger Bridge.
Praising Mrs. Azuka as “a symbol of resilience and courage,” Obi noted that despite the tragedy, the young mother of three, aged 7, 5, and 3, has stepped forward to contest the Assembly seat, seeking to complete the remaining 13 months of her late husband’s term.
“Leadership without compassion is meaningless. True leadership must balance competence with humanity,” Obi said, describing Mrs. Azuka as an HND graduate in Public Administration, “competent, committed, and ready to serve.”
He urged Nigerians at home and abroad to rally behind her, framing the support as both an investment in effective representation and an act of solidarity to ease her burden.
“Supporting her will send a clear message that in the new Nigeria, we will be compassionate, care for one another in times of difficulty, and uphold justice alongside competent leadership,” he added.
The Onitsha North Constituency 1 by-election is scheduled for Saturday, August 16, 2025.
Obi’s move comes as part of a broader coalition of opposition politicians, including members of the ADC, united to challenge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027. The alliance has vowed to strengthen party structures and uphold the principle that the collective interest of the organisation must outweigh the influence of any single political figure.
