Former Kano Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi are set to defect to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) next week following a leadership crisis within the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Rabiu Kwankwaso, the former Governor of Kano State and leader of the Kwankwasiyya movement, is finalized to defect from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) next week. Habibu Mohammed, the spokesperson for the Kwankwasiyya movement, confirmed on Friday night, May 1, 2026, that the decision followed a unanimous endorsement from stakeholders across all 44 local government areas in Kano. The move is reportedly motivated by the persistent leadership imbroglio within the ADC, which has left key opposition figures seeking more stable political platforms ahead of upcoming electoral deadlines.
The defection is expected to be a high-profile joint move involving Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), who had previously aligned with the ADC. According to Mohammed, negotiations with the NDC are nearly complete, with only minor administrative details remaining. “I believe him, Peter Obi, and some others will be joining the NDC,” Mohammed stated, adding that the transition is likely to be formalized on Monday or Tuesday. “The stakeholders have unanimously given him the go-ahead to move to the NDC.”
The decision was sealed following a massive consultative meeting at Kwankwaso’s residence on Friday afternoon, where representatives weighed the legal and political risks of remaining within the embattled ADC. Sources indicate that the move is also driven by the urgent need to meet Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) deadlines for the submission of party membership registers. Kwankwaso, who is currently in Kano, is expected to return to Abuja on Sunday to coordinate the planned defection, which observers believe could significantly reshape the opposition’s front ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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