Former Labour party presidential candidate Peter Obi and ex-Kano governor Rabiu Kwankwaso have formally joined the Nigeria Democratic Congress, calling on party members to shun litigation and focus on national development as political realignments gather pace ahead of the 2027 elections.
The two opposition figures were received on Sunday in Abuja, where they framed their defection as a search for stability after what they described as persistent internal crises across Nigeria’s party system.
Obi announced his move shortly after resigning from the African Democratic Congress, which he had joined in December, saying their decision to align with the NDC was driven by the need for a “peaceful family” free of factional disputes.
“We are coming here to be part of a platform that will work hard to build a united, secure and prosperous Nigeria,” he said, urging members to avoid court battles that, in his view, have weakened opposition politics.
The former Anambra governor accused the current administration of fuelling divisions within rival parties, alleging that repeated crises and lawsuits had forced him and others to abandon previous platforms. “We want to build a party, not spend our time in litigation and fighting ourselves,” he said.
He also appealed to the judiciary to help bring an end to prolonged disputes within political parties, arguing that legal wrangling had distracted from urgent national challenges.
Kwankwaso, who ran in the 2023 election under a different platform, said their consultations with NDC leaders revealed alignment on key priorities including education, youth empowerment and national unity. He urged supporters, including members of his Kwankwasiyya movement, to register quickly as the party prepares to submit its membership register.
“We are on the same page in terms of what Nigeria needs at this moment,” he said, calling on Nigerians at home and in the diaspora to join the party.
The pair were handed membership cards to loud cheers from supporters following a closed-door meeting with party leaders, including former Bayelsa governor Seriake Dickson, who described their arrival as a boost to the party’s national profile.
“You are personifications of the crowd,” Dickson told the new entrants, adding that the NDC would provide a platform anchored on integrity, transparency and inclusion.
Former Adamawa governorship candidate Aishatu Binani also hailed the duo as figures with strong grassroots appeal, particularly among young people and women, whom she described as the backbone of the party’s support base.
The defection follows a meeting at Dickson’s residence in Abuja’s Guzape district, where both men finalised their move amid chants from supporters of the Obi-Kwankwaso alliance.
Obi’s exit from the ADC marks the latest turn in an increasingly fluid opposition landscape. In a statement, he said his departure was not driven by personal grievances against party leaders such as David Mark or former vice-president Atiku Abubakar, but by what he described as a “toxic” political environment characterised by internal conflict and external pressure.
He warned that the same dynamics that undermined his previous platform had begun to re-emerge, citing court cases, factionalism and suspicion as distractions from governance.
The development has intensified speculation over a broader opposition coalition to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress in 2027, with multiple blocs exploring possible alliances.
Obi’s supporters, including the Obidient movement, have insisted his political base remains resilient. Its interim coordinator, Yunusa Tanko, said grassroots support for the former governor was expanding, pointing to new mobilisation structures across northern states.
But the presidency and the APC were quick to dismiss the move. Presidential adviser Bayo Onanuga described Obi as a “political nomad”, while APC spokesperson Felix Morka criticised what he called a pattern of shifting party allegiances.
Both argued that effective political leadership required long-term commitment to party structures rather than repeated defections.
As the countdown to 2027 begins, Sunday’s high-profile realignment underscores the volatility of Nigeria’s opposition politics – and the enduring challenge of building a united front capable of mounting a credible electoral challenge.
