Overview
- Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso, who finished third and fourth in 2023, formally left the ADC and joined the NDC on Sunday, receiving membership cards from party leader Seriake Dickson in Abuja.
- Obi said he quit because of a toxic climate inside the ADC marked by court fights and internal rifts, and he urged supporters to stop filing lawsuits and focus on building a viable party.
- Their exits follow a Supreme Court decision last week that restored interim recognition to one ADC faction but sent core leadership disputes back to the Federal High Court, deepening uncertainty over the party’s survival.
- The Presidency dismissed Obi’s move, with spokesman Bayo Onanuga calling him a “political nomad,” while analysts said a possible Obi–Kwankwaso pairing could challenge the ruling APC if they settle on a ticket.
- With an INEC deadline to submit membership registers approaching on May 10, civil society groups warned that constant, ideology-free defections erode trust and risk leaving voters with weak, unstable choices.