2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and former Kano State governor, Sen. Musa Kwankwaso, have led a wave of high-profile defections from the African Democratic Congress, ADC, to the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC.
The move comes as political parties rush to realign before the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC’s May 10 deadline for submission of updated membership registers.
The recent Supreme Court decision, which cast uncertainty on the ADC and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as viable platforms, has accelerated defections across the opposition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Obi, Kwankwaso, and other defecting leaders including Senator Victor Umeh, Senator Kabir Marafa, Senator Aishatu Dahiru Binani, and former IPAC Chairman, Chief Peter Ameh, held a closed-door meeting with NDC leaders at the Abuja residence of former Bayelsa State governor, Sen. Seriake Dickson.
Following the parley, NDC National Chairman, Moses Cleopas, and members of the National Working Committee formally welcomed and registered the new members. The defections follow Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed’s recent exit from the PDP to the Allied Peoples Movement, APM, underscoring a broader realignment among opposition figures.
Speaking after receiving his NDC membership card, Obi said Nigeria’s political climate of internal conflicts and court battles has stalled progress, forcing leaders to seek alternative platforms. He alleged state interference in opposition parties, claiming the same forces that created crises in the Labour Party had infiltrated the ADC.
Obi stressed that his defection was not driven by grievance against ADC leaders but by a need to prioritize unity, safety, and shared prosperity. He called for an end to political infighting amid worsening poverty, insecurity, and economic hardship, urging leaders to focus on productive engagement for over 50% of Nigerians currently excluded from the economy.
Kwankwaso described the NDC as a vehicle for social development, noting shared priorities with party leaders on education and the empowerment of youths and women. He urged Nigerians and aspirants to register with the party before INEC’s deadline to participate in its processes.
NDC National Leader, Senator Seriake Dickson, welcomed the new entrants, calling the party an ideological movement committed to integrity, transparency, and inclusive governance. He said the NDC belongs to Nigerians, especially women and youths, and assured members of a fair process as more defections are expected this week.
