INEC’s deadline: Obi, Kwankwaso trigger mass defections

*Obi, Kwankwaso, others join Dickson’s NDC, brainstorm in Abuja 

*Why we left ADC –Obi  *You’re a political nomad, Presidency mocks Obi 

By Clifford Ndujihe,  Henry Umoru, Vincent Ujumadu, Johnbosco Agbakwuru, Johnbosco Agbakwuru,

Omeiza Ajayi, Luminous Jannamike & Nnamdi Ojiego 

FORMER Anambra State governor, Mr Peter Obi; his Kano State counterpart, Senator Musa Kwankwaso, and others, yesterday, left African Democratic Congress, ADC, and charged Nigeria’s political atmosphere with their defection to the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC.

Indeed, the polity is astir  as political parties and politicians are locked in a realignment rat race to beat  the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC’s May 10 deadline for submission of membership register.

Following last Thursday’s decision of the Supreme Court, which made the main opposition ADC, and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, “uncertain platforms” as a political leader put it, last night, leading opposition politicians are leaving both parties for other parties to stand a chance of being on the ballot in 2027.

At the weekend, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State left the PDP for the Allied Peoples Movement, APM. The 2023 presidential candidate of Labour Party, LP, Mr Peter Obi; and former governor of Kano State, Senator Musa Kwankwaso, led many topshots to leave the ADC and realigned with the NDC. 

To “concretise” the move, they held a strategic parley in Abuja with former Bayelsa State governor, Senator Seriake Dickson, and other leaders of the NDC.

As it is, this is a decisive week in the run up to the 2027 general polls. To be eligible to contest for any position next year, an aspirant must be a registered member of a political party. More defections are expected this week. 

Configuration of seats in the Senate and House of Representatives will also change as lawmakers change platforms. Many parties have scheduled events beginning today.  

This is coming as the presidency mocked Obi for his latest defection, even as a group raised alarm over the APM and NDC having one name as legal adviser.

Obi, Kwankwaso brainstorm with Dickson

Obi, Kwankwaso and other defecting ADC leaders, including Senator Victor Umeh, Senator Kabir Marafa; Senator Aishatu Dahiru Binani; Senator Kabir Gaya, Rep Ehiozuwa Johnson Agbonayinma, Rep Victor Ogene, and former IPAC Chairman, Chief Peter Ameh, arrived at Dickson’s residence at about 5:14 p.m and headed for a closed-door meeting with the former Bayelsa State governor.

Others at the meeting included NDC National Chairman, Moses Cleopas, alongside members of the National Working Committee, NWC.

After the closed-door parley, NDC leaders at a colourful ceremony, welcomed and registered Obi and Kwankwaso as members and were promptly issued with NDC membership cards. 

Stalled progress 

Obi said the current political climate, marked by internal conflicts and endless court battles, has stalled progress and forced many leaders to seek alternative platforms. He urged politicians to redirect their focus toward addressing poverty, insecurity and economic hardship.

According to him, Nigeria’s priority must be unity, safety, and shared prosperity. He stressed the need for a country where citizens, regardless of background, have equal opportunities to succeed, and where families live free from fear and economic uncertainty.

“We are gathered here because we believe in building a united, secure and prosperous Nigeria that works for everyone.  It is unacceptable that over 50 per cent of our population is not productively engaged. That must change,’’ Obi said.

He called for an end to internal party disputes, warning that Nigeria could not afford continued political infighting amid worsening national challenges. Obi also appreciated supporters at home and in the diaspora, urging sustained commitment to national development.

Key to building prosperous nation – Kwankwaso

Kwankwaso, in his remarks, emphasised unity and active political participation as key to building a peaceful and prosperous nation. He commended the NDC leadership, noting that engagements with stakeholders revealed shared priorities, particularly in advancing education and empowering youths and women.

He described the NDC as more than a political platform, calling it a vehicle for social development and inclusion.

Kwankwaso also urged Nigerians, especially aspirants, to take advantage of the limited window to register and participate in the party’s processes, ahead of elections.

“We share common ground in promoting education and empowering young people and women.  Our goal is to build a peaceful and united Nigeria,’’ he said.

Welcoming the new entrants, NDC National Leader, Senator Seriake Dickson, described the party as an ideological movement committed to integrity, transparency and inclusive governance, adding that the NDC was gaining momentum as one of the country’s fastest-growing political platforms.

“This party belongs to Nigerians, especially women and youths who remain the backbone of our democracy,” Dickson said, assuring members of a fair and transparent process.

National Chairman of the party, Senator Cleopas, also called for unity and dedication, expressing optimism about the party’s future and its mission of national renewal.

Why I left ADC – Obi

Earlier,  Obi had announced his decision to leave ADC, citing what he described as sustained interference by the Nigerian state in opposition parties and an increasingly hostile political climate.

In a personal address released via his X (formerly Twitter) Account, Obi said his decision was not driven by any grievance against the party’s leadership, including its chairman, Senator David Mark, or former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, whom he described as respected leaders.

He instead pointed to what he called a pattern of destabilisation by government actors, alleging that the same forces that created internal crises within the Labour Party had begun to infiltrate the ADC.

“The same Nigerian state and its agents that created unnecessary crises and hostility within the Labour Party that forced me to leave now appear to be finding their way into the ADC,” Obi said, referencing ongoing legal disputes, internal divisions, and what he termed a politics of control and exclusion.

Obi painted a broader picture of Nigeria’s political environment as one marked by intimidation, insecurity, and persistent scrutiny, where individuals committed to public service often face quiet but intense pressure.

“We now live in an environment that has become increasingly toxic,” he said, adding that even allies sometimes contributed to the strain through public alignment and private withdrawal.

The former Anambra State governor also spoke of the personal toll of political engagement, describing “silent pains,” emotional burdens, and the difficulty of sustaining integrity in a system that, in his view, often misinterpreted humility and discipline as weakness.

He maintained that his exit from the ADC was a step taken to allow peace within the party, despite the likelihood of continued criticism.

“When you choose to leave so that those you are leaving can have peace, and you step out into the cold, you are still maligned and your character is questioned,” he said.

Obi reiterated that his political ambition was not driven by a desire for office but by concern for Nigeria’s social and economic challenges, including insecurity, poverty and displacement.

“I am not desperate to be President, Vice President, or Senate President.  I am desperate to see a society that can console a mother whose child has been kidnapped or killed… a country where citizens do not go to bed hungry,’’ he said.

Despite his departure, Obi expressed continued belief in Nigeria’s potential, calling for leadership rooted in justice, compassion and equal opportunity.

You’re a political nomad, Presidency mocks Obi

Pooh-poohing the move, Presidency criticised Peter Obi, for leaving the ADC weeks after joining it from the LP and described him as a “political nomad.”

The Presidency dismissed Obi’s stated reasons for leaving the ADC as illogical, portraying the former Anambra State governor as an opportunist, who expects political success on a platter.

Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, made the remarks on his verified X account (formerly Twitter), accusing Obi of constantly blaming the government without self-reflection.

In his post, Onanuga wrote: “We told you so. The political nomad is on the move again. Ignore all those puerile reasons he gave in these illogical musings, a self-serving letter to his mob.

“Peter Obi is a politician made of jelly, an opportunistic fellow. He can’t fight Atiku or Amaechi for the ticket of ADC. He pursues the easy road, that will only lead him to doom, like in 2023. He always blames the government without doing a soul-searching of himself. Welcome, Peter, to the 2027 race.”

Opposition parties are targets because

of Obi – Rep Ogene

However, former House of Representatives Caucus leader of  LP, and the member representing Ogbaru federal constituency of Anambra State, Victor Ogene, yesterday, said Obi remained the target in all the ordeals being suffered by opposition political parties in the country.

Addressing reporters at Obeagwe in Ogbaru Local Government Area, Ogene, said developments in the political parties Obi had associated with, preparatory to the 2027 election, showed deliberate efforts to stop him from contesting the election.

He said: “I do not think what is happening in the ADC is targeted at the party. It is targeted at only one person, Mr. Peter Obi. I will give you empirical evidence why I say so.

“On April 4, 2025, the Supreme Court in a landmark judgment, declared that the tenure of Barr. Julius Abure in the Labour Party was effectively over. I was among leaders of the party, alongside Mr. Peter Obi, Gov. Alex Otti, our senators, House of Reps members and several others, that took the certified true copy of that judgment to INEC.

“INEC received us and said they would study it. They kept studying it, but some of us who are down there have our ears close to the ground. and we got reliable information that for as long as Mr. Peter Obi remained with the Labour Party, the party would not know peace.

“In one of my discussions with Mr. Peter Obi in September last year, I told him that I am aware of this fact. And since the judicial arm had given a judgment; in fact, in that judgment they mentioned that people should be gracious to leave the scene when their tenures are over, a remark directed at Julius Abure, yet he refused to hands off the party.

APC, PRP, NNPP chieftains defect to NDC

Apart from Obi and Kwakwanso,  the NDC recorded a wave of high-profile defections weekend as prominent politicians from the All Progressives Congress, APC, Peoples Redemption Party, PRP, and New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, formally joined its ranks.

Among the defectors are Ehiozuwa Johnson Agbonayinma, a former member of the House of Representatives and ex-board member of the Code of Conduct Bureau, who resigned from the APC; and Babatunde Alli, former Deputy National Chairman of the PRP, and Mohammed Sani Yahaya, the NNPP’s 2023 governorship candidate in Taraba State. They moved to the NDC alongside thousands of supporters and established political structures. 

Speaking at the reception in Abuja, Agbonayinma expressed concern over Nigeria’s current state, describing the NDC as a credible platform for national renewal.

“Nigeria is bleeding and searching for direction. What we were promised as ‘Renewed Hope’ has, for many Nigerians, turned into renewed hopelessness. We must confront corruption and rebuild trust in governance,” he said.

Alli attributed his exit from the PRP to internal party challenges, stressing the need for inclusivity, youth participation, and fairness in political processes.

“The emergence of the NDC has given me renewed hope that politics can be done differently,” he stated.

Yahaya, on his part, pledged grassroots mobilisation for the party, declaring total support from his political base in Taraba State.

“At all levels, we are joining the NDC fully. We have built a structure already, and we are committed to strengthening the party ahead of 2027,” he said.

Welcoming the defectors, NDC National Leader, Seriake Dickson, described their decision as a sign of growing confidence in the party’s vision for inclusive governance and national transformation. 

APC closes sales

of forms today

Meanwhile, as parties prepare to meet INEC’s timelines, the ruling APC will today close the sales of nomination and expression of interest from to allow it time to prepare for its primaries.

APC had earlier released a comprehensive schedule covering both its internal party reorganisation and the 2027 general election primaries, mapping out a tight sequence of activities stretching from the ongoing sale of nomination forms to a national convention earlier fixed for late March.

The timetable, signed by the party’s National Organizing Secretary, Sulaiman Argungu, was issued in line with the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2026, and the INEC’s revised schedule for the 2027 elections.

On the congress and convention calendar, a nationwide membership e-registration exercise commenced on December 1, 2025, and ran until January 30, 2026, after which the party issued formal notices of congresses to all state chapters and the FCT on February 2, 2026. Ward congresses were held on February 18, followed by local government congresses on February 20. State congresses took place on March 7, while zonal congresses were conducted across the six geopolitical zones on March 21. The national convention was held on March 28, 2026.

On the primaries front, the APC fixed the cost of its presidential Expression of Interest and Nomination forms at N100 million, with governorship forms at N50 million, Senate at N20 million, House of Representatives at N10 million, and State House of Assembly at N6 million. Female aspirants, youths, and physically challenged persons are required to pay only the Expression of Interest fee and 50 per cent of the nomination fee for their respective positions.

PRP resolves rift, holds primaries May 24

The PRP, which has regained its footing after the electoral umpire,  formally recognised Hakeem Baba-Ahmed as its national chairman, has initiated moves to meet the INEC’s April 23 -May 30 window for primaries. 

With the crisis settled, the party has shifted its focus to membership revalidation, the sale of nomination forms, and preparations for its May 24 primaries.

Spokesman of the party, Alhaji Muhammad Bello Ishaq, told Vanguard: “The priority now is meeting all requirements and ensuring full participation in the electoral process. The issues that created division have been addressed, and the party is now united in its efforts to meet INEC deadlines, complete its membership register and conduct primaries without further disputes.”

SDP, NDC, NNPP, ADP’s push

In like manner, the NDC began its maiden congresses across the country penultimate Friday with May 9 fixed for its National Convention in Abuja.

Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party, Abdulmumin Abdulsalam, said that said that ward and polling unit congresses held on May 1 and 2, local government and state congresses, May 4;  and zonal congresses will take place on May 6, setting the stage for the National Convention three days later.

The NDC that is barely four months old has been receiving a number of politicians to its fold and only last week, a Senator who served Zamfara Central in the 7th and 8th Senate, Senator Kabir Marafa dumped ADC for the party as well as Senator Aishatu Dahiru Binani who represented Adamawa Central in the 7th Senate also decamped from the ADC..

Also, the NNPP has fixed May 26 for its primaries for all elective positions.

NNPP National Publicity Secretary, Ladipo Johnson said that the party would adopt the consensus mode of election in all wards across the country, just as he   said that the date had already being communicated to INEC.

For the Social Democratic Party, SDP, its national convention will be held in Bauchi on May 9.

SDP National Chairman, Professor Sadiq Gombe, had disclosed that Dr. Usman Bugaje is chairman of the  Convention Planning Committee, with former House of Representatives member, Mulikat Akande as deputy chairman.

The party is yet to come up with rates for the purchase of expression of interest and nomination forms for interested aspirants for various elective positions, just as it has not conducted its state, local government and zonal congresses. There are indications that its 2023 Presidential candidate, Prince Adewole Adebayo, will get the ticket once again.

Coalition demands INEC probe of APM, NDC

Meanwhile, a civil society organisation, under the aegis of Nigeria Democratic Rights Advocacy, NDRA, has raised an alarm over an alleged infraction on the provision of the revised Electoral Act forbidding dual membership of two political parties by an individual.

The group, in a statement, yesterday, in Abuja said its attention was drawn to disturbing inconsistencies in official party records which list Mr. Reuben Egwuaba as National Legal Adviser in both the Allied Peoples Movement and NDC, with one of the listings expressly stated to be “by court order.”

The statement, signed by the General-Secretary of the group, Julius Aondowase, noted that the infraction was not a clerical oversight but a serious legal contradiction with far-reaching implications.

“By virtue of the amended electoral provisions, particularly the modification of Section 77—belonging to more than one political party at the same time is expressly prohibited. The law is clear and uncompromising: any individual found guilty of dual party membership is liable to a fine of up to ¦ 10 million and/or a prison term of up to two years.

“The position of National Legal Adviser is not symbolic; it is a core office within a party’s National Executive Committee, NEC, which requires full and exclusive membership of that party. Therefore, occupying this role in both the APM and NDC simultaneously is not only politically improper—it constitutes prima facie evidence of dual membership and a potential criminal offence under Nigerian law.

“This situation demands urgent clarification from all parties involved. If these records are accurate, then this is a clear violation of the law. If they are not, then the public deserves an immediate correction and explanation as to how such conflicting information came to be officially documented.

Political parties must not become safe havens for legal contradictions. The rule of law must be upheld without exception.

“We, therefore, call on relevant authorities, including electoral regulators, to investigate this matter without delay and take appropriate action in line with the law.

Nigeria’s democracy must be governed by rules, not convenience,” the group said.

INEC reacts

When contacted by Vanguard, Deputy Director of Voter Education and Publicity at INEC, Wilfred Ifogah, said the lawyer had reportedly resigned from the APM and was now a member of the NDC.

He also spoke on why the name could have been listed against the two parties, saying the needful would be done.

“My inquiry revealed that he has already resigned from APM, which means he is of NDC.

“It’s likely APM has not formally communicated the commission. However, the needful will be done to update the portal,” he said.

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