Two well-known opposition figures in Nigeria have joined the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and are asking their supporters to avoid taking disputes to court.
Peter Obi, who ran for president in 2023, and Rabiu Kwankwaso, a former governor of Kano State, officially joined the NDC on Sunday at a ceremony in Abuja, the country’s capital.
Their move comes as political groups begin to reorganise ahead of the next general election in 2027.
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Obi said he left his previous party, the African Democratic Congress (ADC), because of ongoing internal fights and court cases. He blamed the current government for creating problems inside opposition parties, making it hard for them to work properly.
Speaking to party members and supporters, Obi said: “We are coming here to be part of a peaceful family that will work hard to build a united, secure, and prosperous Nigeria that will work for everybody.”
He added, “We are pleading with the government of today. The government has ensured they put up crisis after crisis, which led to several lawsuits in our party. We want peace. We don’t want cases.”
Obi also appealed to the courts to settle political party disputes quickly so that politicians can focus on fixing Nigeria’s problems.
Kwankwaso said his discussion with NDC leaders showed they shared similar ideas about education, helping young people, and keeping the country united.
He invited Nigerians living at home and abroad to register with the NDC, noting that the party plans to submit its official membership list on May 6. “Now that we have realised we only have a few days to register, we have decided that all of us will register today,” Kwankwanso said.
The national leader of the NDC, Senator Seriake Dickson, welcomed both men. “Both of you are among the biggest names in our political history,” he said. “The Nigerian people know what you are bringing.”
Another party figure, Aishatu Binani, a former candidate for governor of Adamawa State, described Obi and Kwankwaso as well-known leaders with strong support among young people and women.
Reaction from the Ruling Party (APC)
The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the presidency criticised Obi’s decision to change parties again.
Bayo Onanuga, an adviser to President Bola Tinubu, called Obi a “political nomad” and said he avoids difficult political contests. “Peter Obi is a politician made of jelly, an opportunistic fellow,” Onanuga wrote on social media.
The APC’s spokesman, Felix Morka, also questioned Obi’s pattern of moving between different political parties over the years, including the All Progressives Grand Alliance, the Peoples Democratic Party, the Labour Party and the ADC.
Despite the criticism, Obi’s supporters under the group called the Obidient Movement Worldwide said they continue to back him. The group’s coordinator, Yunusa Tanko, said Obi’s popularity is still growing, especially in northern Nigeria.
We stand with Peter Obi,” Tanko said. “In all their efforts to stop him from running for president, his popularity keeps increasing. A new Nigeria is possible.”
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