ABUJA, Nigeria – Former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi and former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso will announce their departure from the African Democratic Congress on Monday to join a new political platform ahead of the 2027 general elections.
New Nigeria People’s Party Board of Trustees Secretary Buba Galadima disclosed the planned exit during a stakeholders’ meeting organised by the Obi-Kwankwaso Movement in Abuja. Okay News reports that Obi and Kwankwaso concluded arrangements to join the Nigeria Democratic Congress, a party reportedly linked to former Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson.
An anonymous source from the opposition camp stated that the leaders and their chieftains finalized the agreement over the weekend. “Both Obi, Kwankwaso and their chieftains were on ground between yesterday and this morning signing the relevant documents with Senator Dickson and the NDC leaders,” the source said. “We don’t want a repeat of what happened in the ADC to occur again. We discovered late that Atiku and his loyalists lured our leaders to that opposition party to fulfil only one single mission – Atiku’s presidential ambition. All is now set. Both Obi and Kwankwaso will announce their defection from the ADC on Monday.”
Galadima cautioned supporters to expect coordinated attacks and disruptions following the announcement. “As from Monday, when our leaders declare on which platform they will run, I want to tell you that one of two things will happen. And I’m here to guide you on your response to what will happen,” Galadima said. “First, they will sponsor columnists. Two, they will deploy social media influencers to start attacking our candidates. For all of you who are on social media and those you with the mighty pen, you must be prepared to respond to anything they are going to say. Anything under the sun that they may say about our leaders that we know very well, people of integrity and honour, we must come to them with the ferociousness that is needed of an intelligent man.”
Galadima further advised supporters to respond strategically to criticism from opposing groups. “For all of you who are on social media and those with the mighty pen, you must be prepared to respond to anything they are going to say. I’m sorry to bring up something that is not on the table, but I’m doing it as an example. If you have been following the US and the Iran war, you will remember that the US and Israel attacked first, and Iran responded,” he said. “The analogy I’m going to draw here is that don’t call anybody any name until they call our leaders names. Then we will respond with the greatest might of intellect in us. These are people who are living in their comfort zones, and they want to start a war. We will help them add kerosene. We are already lying flat on the floor. Are we afraid to fall? So over to them.”
Isaac Fayose, brother to former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose, also attended the event and expressed support for the alliance. “I am not a politician and don’t need to join your political party. But let me say that O-K (Obi-Kwankwaso) is okay for me. And I am ready to lead,” Fayose said. “In the last election in Lagos, I was the returning officer in Ibeju-Lekki. They came with so many things. But at the end of the day, the votes were so much that they couldn’t change the results. This time, I can tell you that we have already won in 28 out of 36 states. These 28 are already O-K. They are ready to vote. So it is up to them to say this time, you can’t steal our votes. And we have to be ready for that because it is easy to vote. Election is always like garri. By the time you put water, come back the next day, the garri will rise. This time, our garri will not swell up. As they are putting water, we will be drinking it like that. We have to be strong in a country where we have N70,000 (USD 50.91) as minimum wage,” he stated.
Activist Aisha Yesufu addressed the gathering to call for national cohesion across ethnic and regional lines. “It is time for us to become a nation that is working. The next time they say to you that this is an Igbo, Hausa or Yoruba person, tell them indeed, we are all Nigerians,” Yesufu said. “Today, I will say to you all that the education and voices we have are not for us alone. They are for millions of others who didn’t have the opportunities that we have. If not, at the end of the day, we will be asked questions. We must unite right now. When they tell you about the generational hatred, ask them, where did it lead you to? Where has it also led Nigeria? We are brothers and sisters. We must not forget that.”
