According to a report by Daily Independent, on Monday, March 2, 2026, Mr Faduri Oluwadare Joseph, widely known as Fadojoe and currently a presidential aspirant under the National Rescue Movement (NRM), has publicly articulated his profound remorse regarding his previous action of stepping down from the 2023 presidential race to endorse Peter Obi.
Fadojoe disclosed this sentiment during a press briefing held in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State, where he was flanked by members of his support coalition.
During this interaction with the media, he elaborated that his earlier decision to cease his own campaign in favour of Obi was rooted in a genuine conviction that the then-Labour Party flag bearer represented a novel, refreshing, and necessary trajectory for Nigerian political dynamics.
According to Fadojoe, Obi had projected an image of a transformative leader possessing the requisite credibility, competence, and vision needed to reshape the nation and provide the exemplary governance that countless Nigerians have passionately sought for a long period.
The politician, who transitioned from a career as a nurse in the United States to active politics, further revealed that prior to Peter Obi officially defecting to the Labour Party (LP), he had already demonstrated significant commitment to the party by becoming the first aspirant to purchase its presidential nomination form, investing a substantial sum of N40 million.
He highlighted that this occurred months before Obi joined the party in late 2022, a development that took place merely five months before the general election.
Fadojoe stated that the national leadership of the Labour Party, headed at that time by Julius Abure, heavily persuaded him to relinquish his personal ambitions so that Obi could emerge as the party’s consensus candidate.
He explained that party officials appealed directly to his sense of patriotism, emphasising that Obi possessed the immense integrity and leadership capacity necessary to materialise the vision of a rejuvenated Nigeria that he personally held dear.
Furthermore, Fadojoe lamented that despite making the massive sacrifice of stepping down from the race, the Labour Party leadership never reimbursed him the N40 million he paid for the nomination form.
Nevertheless, he maintained that at that particular time, he remained fully committed to the cause and went on to diligently mobilise support for Obi among Nigerians living in the United States, firmly believing that the Labour Party candidate would bring about meaningful structural change to the nation’s political and economic landscape.
However, Fadojoe expressed that subsequent events and developments have left him completely disillusioned.
He alleged that Obi’s political behaviour has demonstrated striking similarities to the same established political class that many Nigerians were fervently hoping to move away from.
According to him, the high expectations that Obi would operate fundamentally differently from conventional politicians have not been realised, which has led to his present profound regret over the sacrifice he made during the 2023 election cycle.
Looking toward the upcoming 2027 general elections, the NRM aspirant maintained that the Nigerian electorate are becoming increasingly conscious and politically enlightened, suggesting they may no longer lend their support to politicians associated with the old order.
He emphasised that the moment has arrived for younger Nigerians to seize the initiative, take direct responsibility for leadership, and produce the nation’s next president, arguing that active youth participation is the essential key to national renewal and progress.
Fadojoe also outlined several specific policy directions he intends to pursue if elected president.
He vehemently criticised some of the economic measures implemented under the current administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, particularly those regarding the removal of the fuel subsidy and new taxation policies, which he believes have severely worsened the living conditions of ordinary citizens.
Reaffirming his commitment to pro-people governance, he declared: “I will reverse fuel prices to N200 per litre. Subsidy will be restored with proper monitoring.”
He further pledged to implement reforms aimed at increasing accountability within the public service, including strict restrictions that would forbid government officials from seeking medical treatment abroad, insisting that public office holders should rely solely on local healthcare systems to encourage investment and improvement in Nigeria’s medical sector.
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