Iyunade Grace
Peter Obi is set to dump the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) on Monday, May 5, 2026, according to multiple sources close to both camps. The move comes after weeks of negotiations led by NDC National Leader Senator Seriake Dickson.
Buba Galadima, Secretary of the NNPP Board of Trustees, disclosed at an Obi-Kwankwaso Movement summit in Abuja that Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso have “signed the relevant documents” with Dickson and NDC leaders. He said the decision was made to “avoid a repeat of what happened in the ADC,” where Atiku’s loyalists allegedly used the party solely for his presidential ambition.
The NDC confirmed the talks. Deputy Publicity Secretary Abdulmumin Abdulsalam said the party has been in high-level discussions with both men and is prepared to offer its presidential ticket and party machinery to support their joint or individual bids. NDC said it received Obi and Kwankwaso’s names from ADC about a month ago.
The defection follows a Supreme Court ruling that reset ADC’s leadership tussle but remitted the case to lower courts, leaving the party in legal limbo. With INEC’s May 10, 2026 deadline for membership registers and May 30 for primaries, Obi’s camp reportedly concluded ADC could not guarantee a credible platform.
Kwankwaso hosted Obi, Oyo Governor Seyi Makinde, and Dickson in Kano on March 22, 2026 for Sallah, a meeting many saw as the first public signal of the NDC deal. Though described as a festive visit, observers called it part of 2027 opposition realignments.
Habibu Mohammed of the Kwankwasiyya Movement told _TheCable_ that discussions with NDC are “about 90 percent” complete, with Obi likely to take the presidential slot and Kwankwaso as running mate. Galadima warned supporters to expect “coordinated attacks” from rivals once the announcement is made Monday.
Dickson has branded Obi and Kwankwaso the “biggest political brands” in Nigeria today and insists NDC is “not a proxy of APC”. The move, if confirmed, would reshape the 2027 opposition landscape, pulling both men out of ADC’s factional crisis and into a Dickson-led platform with a clearer path to the ballot.
INEC’s timetable means the switch must be finalized this week. All eyes are on Monday’s announcement for official confirmation and details of the ticket structure.
