Overview
- Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso left the African Democratic Congress and joined the Nigeria Democratic Congress on Sunday, receiving membership cards from NDC leader Seriake Dickson in Abuja in a video shared online.
- Obi said he quit because of internal rifts, legal fights and outside interference that created a toxic climate, and he urged party members to avoid court cases and refocus on insecurity, poverty and economic recovery.
- The Presidency dismissed the switch as opportunistic, with spokesman Bayo Onanuga calling Obi a “political nomad” and arguing he avoids tough primary contests.
- ADC stakeholders warned the exits could undercut opposition efforts underway since 2024 to field a single 2027 challenger, citing past fragmentation as a key reason the APC prevailed in 2023.
- Civil society group CISLAC urged ideology-based politics and close oversight by the electoral commission, warning that frequent defections without clear policy goals weaken parties and erode public trust.