By Danjuma Amodu
Former presidential candidates Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso have officially defected to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and received their membership cards at a ceremony in Abuja on Sunday.
The declaration, held at 2:00 p.m., was hosted by NDC National Leader and former Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson, alongside National Chairman Moses Cleopas and members of the party’s National Working Committee.
Spokesman of the Kwankwasiyya movement, Habibu Mohammed, confirmed the move followed a unanimous endorsement by stakeholders from all 44 local government areas in Kano. He said talks with the NDC were “about 90 percent” complete, with only minor issues left to resolve.
The defection marks a major shift from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), where a prolonged leadership crisis and ongoing court cases prompted both leaders to seek “a better platform not embedded in a leadership tussle.”
Kwankwaso, who recently held a strategic meeting at his Miller Road residence in Kano, is expected to coordinate further political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Party officials described the dual defection as a boost for the NDC, reflecting “growing national confidence” in the platform as opposition forces reposition for 2027.
Analysts say the move could consolidate opposition momentum, with both Obi and Kwankwaso bringing strong grassroots followings from the 2023 polls.
