The exit of Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso, two prominent opposition figures, has weakened the African Democratic Congress across both chambers of the National Assembly.
The National Democratic Congress, which received Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso on Sunday, recorded its biggest gains on Tuesday with the addition of 17 House members and a senator. Weeks earlier, its ranks expanded when Seriake Dickson, representing Bayelsa West, defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to join the party.
The development comes a few days after several opposition parties resolved to present a single presidential candidate against President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 elections.
The wave of defection to the NDC occurred 48 hours after Obi and Kwankwaso, two of the ADC’s most prominent figures, formally exited the party. These moves have significantly altered the opposition landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections, setting the stage for shifting political alliances.
Additionally, the latest defectors, drawn from Kano, Anambra, Lagos, Edo, Rivers, and Kogi States, cited internal disarray within the ADC as a major factor that influenced their decision.
While reading their letters on the floor of the House, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, who presided over the plenary session, said the lawmakers blamed the party’s instability for their departure, noting that the crisis remained “unresolved starting from the ward to the national level.”
The defectors to the NDC are Yusuf Datti, Sani Adamu, Zakari Mukhtari, Kamilu Ado, Harris Okonkwo, George Ozodinobi, Lilian Orogbu, Peter Anekwe, Emeka Idu, Ifeanyi Uzokwe, and Afam Ogene. Others include Lagos lawmakers Thaddeus Attah, Oluwaseyi Sowunmi, George Olwande, and Jese Onuakalusi, as well as Murphy Omroruyi from Edo and Umezuruike Manuchim from Rivers State.
In a separate move, Kogi lawmaker Leke Abejide defected from the ADC to the ruling All Progressives Congress.
The coordinated nature of the defections is widely interpreted as a show of loyalty to Obi and Kwankwaso, whose switch to the NDC is already reshaping opposition dynamics.
Both men are influential political figures with strong regional bases—Obi in the South-East and Kwankwaso in the North-West—and their exit from the ADC appears to have triggered a ripple effect among lawmakers aligned with their political structures.
The ADC’s current troubles did not emerge overnight. In recent months, tensions within the party escalated over leadership struggles, strategy disagreements, and competing ambitions among top figures.
The situation worsened amid reports of irreconcilable differences between Obi, Kwankwaso, and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who was also a central figure in opposition coalition talks.
Efforts to build a united front ahead of 2027 reportedly broke down due to mistrust, zoning disagreements, and control of party structures.
Their eventual defection to the NDC marked a turning point. Seen as a more viable platform for consolidating opposition strength, the NDC quickly became a magnet for lawmakers and political actors seeking stability and clearer leadership direction.
With the departure of key figures and a steady decline in its legislative strength, the ADC now faces a daunting struggle to maintain political relevance.
The loss of national figures like Obi and Kwankwaso, combined with the defection of lawmakers across multiple states, appears to have weakened its structure and electoral prospects.
Only last week, the party boasted 24 members of the House of Representatives, but it is now left with six.
Once the dominant opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party may equally struggle to retain its status.
Though still officially the most formidable opposition in the House, the PDP currently has 29 members in the Green Chamber, down from 116 members in its ranks at the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly in June 2023.
Akpabio mocks ADC
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, on Tuesday openly derided the African Democratic Congress, declaring it “dead” as a fresh wave of defections swept through the parliament.
Akpabio made the declaration while presiding over the plenary session, shortly after the Senate announced the defection of lawmakers, including Victor Umeh, who joined the NDC, citing internal crises and “unending litigation” within the ADC.
“Resignation from ADC and declaration for Labour Party? Maybe all those defecting from ADC should compile everything in one paper and bring it, so that we don’t keep announcing, announcing, announcing. Because I think ADC is dead,” Akpabio said, drawing reactions in the chamber.
He continued on a lighter tone, questioning the frequency of political defections by lawmakers.
“How many times can you defect in a month? Once. But some have done three times,” he laughed.
The Senate President suggested a more coordinated system for handling defections, adding that lawmakers should “compile” their movement lists rather than announce them individually on the floor.
“So that it doesn’t look like a daily ritual. If you are defecting from Labour, you write all of you. If you are moving from ADC, you write all of you. If you are entering NDC, you write all of you,” he added.
During the sitting, Akpabio also read a defection letter from Enyinnaya Abaribe, noting his movement across parties in recent years.
“Note that Senator Abaribe has moved from APGA to ADC, and now he has moved from ADC to Labour Party,” he said, before joking that future announcements would no longer be read individually.
Separately, Umeh formally notified the Senate of his defection in a letter read by Akpabio during plenary.
In his resignation letter, Umeh cited “lingering divisions in the leadership and unending litigation” in the ADC, saying the situation made continued membership untenable.’’
“I remain committed to making my contributions towards the development of our dear nation, but this time through the NDC,” he wrote.
“I welcome you and the entire Senate through this medium of my resignation from the African Democratic Congress and my defection to the Nigerian Democratic Congress.”
He added that his decision was informed by “lingering divisions in the leadership and unending litigation in the African Democratic Congress,” noting that the crisis had made continued membership difficult.
“I have taken this decision after wide consultations with my family, my constituents and supporters in view of the lingering divisions in the leadership and unending litigation in the African Democratic Congress,” the letter read.
Umeh said he remained committed to contributing to national development but would now do so under the NDC platform.
“I remain committed to making my contributions towards the development of our dear nation, but this time through the NDC. Please accept the assurances of my highest regards. Yours faithfully,” he wrote.
The Senate President acknowledged the letter and briefly congratulated the lawmaker.
Umeh had earlier confirmed his resignation during an interview, stating that he formally left the ADC on May 1 before joining the NDC.
“I’ve resigned from the ADC since May 1. NDC, that’s the destination,” he said.
Explaining further, the senator said the coalition that birthed the ADC had initially generated hope but was later affected by internal disagreements and legal disputes.
“When the coalition came together, it came with a lot of hope. Along the line, legal twists were introduced in the matter,” he said.
He also defended frequent party movements in Nigeria, attributing them to weak institutional stability within the political system.
“Movement from party to party happens in Nigeria because of the lack of stability in our politics,” Umeh said.
Umeh was among the political figures present at the closed-door meeting and official unveiling of Obi and Kwankwaso by the NDC.
Others at the meeting included former Kano APC governorship candidate, Nasiru Gawuna, ex-Adamawa governorship candidate, Aishatu Binani and former Zamfara senator, Kabir Marafa.
Automatic ticket
Speaking with our correspondent in Abuja, the National Secretary of NDC, Ikenna Enekweizu, explained that the issue of automatic tickets for its members currently holding elective offices has not been discussed.
According to him, the party will decide at the appropriate time, noting that for now, the NDC is repositioning itself as an attractive political platform to Nigerians across the South and North of the divide.
He stated, “The issue of automatic ticket is a policy of the party that will be discussed if the need arises. It has not come up for mention in our meetings, and this is all I can say now. In the meantime, we are interested in building the party to make it the obvious choice of Nigerians nationwide.”
Kwankwasiyya loyalists exit
Meanwhile, members of the Kwankwasiyya movement-a group of followers of former Kano State governor, Kwankwaso, have commenced a gradual process of leaving the ADC.
Speaking with The PUNCH, a spokesperson for the group, Mansur Kurugu, said a final decision had yet to be taken on whether those who secured positions on the ADC platform would leave for the NDC.
He, however, disclosed that some key figures in Kano, particularly loyalists of Kwankwaso, had already exited the party.
According to him, he and the immediate past Deputy Governor of Kano State, Aminu Gwarzo, had already dumped the ADC.
“In the constitution of the ADC, those who secured positions are expected to commence duties on May 12, 2026. So, for now, we don’t have any issues. Almost all members of the House of Representatives loyal to the Kwankwasiyya movement have already left the ADC for the NDC,” he said.
In a bid to resolve the lingering crisis within the party in Kano, Kwankwaso on Tuesday met with the state Chairman of the NDC, Hussaini Mairiga. Mairiga confirmed the meeting in an interview with The PUNCH, noting that it involved key stakeholders at the state level and was aimed at addressing disagreements over the party’s structure and leadership in Kano.
After the meeting, Mairiga announced that the crisis had been resolved and expressed support for Kwankwaso’s leadership. “We had a fruitful discussion with Sen. Kwankwaso and other critical stakeholders of our great party. All lingering issues have been amicably resolved in the interest of unity and progress,” he said.
He added, “As a party, we have agreed to move forward together, and we recognise Sen. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso as our leader in Kano State.”
“I call on all our members to remain steadfast and work collectively for the growth of the party. This resolution marks a new beginning for the NDC in Kano,” he added.
The development follows tensions within the Kano chapter of the party after Kwankwaso defected to the NDC alongside Peter Obi—a move that sparked concerns over the control of the party structure. The crisis deepened after the state chairman reportedly resisted moves to cede leadership to the former governor, insisting that the existing executives would not surrender control.
He had also disclosed that efforts to integrate Kwankwaso into the party initially stalled due to disagreements over leadership arrangements, with both sides holding separate meetings that failed to produce a consensus. The situation further escalated amid claims that the party’s planned state congress had been suspended, fuelling suspicions among some members about possible attempts to restructure the party leadership in Kano.
Aspirants dump ADC
The PUNCH’s findings revealed that over 23 aspirants have defected from the ADC in Anambra State following the leadership crisis in the party, which has also left many of its federal and state assembly aspirants uncertain about the prospects of contesting the 2027 general elections on the party’s platform.
A member of the party’s publicity team, Ike Uzor, who spoke to our correspondent on the telephone in Awka on Tuesday, said Obi’s loyalists constituted a large number of those who had left.
According to Uzor, apart from aspirants seeking to contest elections, many registered members have indicated interest in leaving the party to join Obi in the NDC, while some aspirants have joined the SDP.
“The defections followed the prolonged leadership crisis within the ADC, which has left many of its national and state assembly aspirants uncertain about their prospects of contesting the 2027 general elections on the party’s platform.
“Further compounding the situation is the defection of the former Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, from the ADC, a development that has triggered a wave of defections, particularly among aspirants seeking a more stable platform.
“We have been receiving strong indications of resignation from members of the party, particularly from aspirants and other registered members loyal to Obi, due to the protracted leadership crisis in the party.
“As of the last count, no fewer than 23 aspirants for National and State Assembly positions are in advanced stages of joining either the NDC or the Social Democratic Party. A lot of registered members and principal officers in the state have also indicated interest in resigning from the party and joining Obi in the NDC,” Uzor added.
Speaking on the development, the lawmaker representing Ogbaru Federal Constituency of Anambra State in the House of Representatives, Victor Ogene, insisted that the internal crisis was not directed at the ADC as a party but is instead targeted at Peter Obi.
“For me, what is happening in the ADC is not targeted at the party itself; it is targeted at one individual—Mr. Peter Obi. And, I will provide empirical evidence to support this position,” he said.
ADC unperturbed
Responding to Tuesday’s defections in both chambers of the National Assembly, ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the party is not disturbed by the development.
In a telephone interview with The PUNCH, the ADC imagemaker said, “We are not in any way disturbed. The credibility of the ADC as an opposition party does not depend on the number of federal and state lawmakers.
The people who left are idol worshippers, following their idols that they believe will help them to win the elections. We wish them good luck, but the core structures of our party remain intact. Those who believe in the ADC and its core principles have not left, and they are in the majority.”
Notwithstanding the defection wave, the Rivers State ADC says it remains strong and united, noting that its roots are firmly rooted across the 23 local government areas of the state.
The state ADC Chairman-elect, Dr Chukwudi Dimkpa, in a statement on Monday night, stressed that the party’s strength does not rest on individuals but on values, structures and the will of the people.
“The African Democratic Congress in Rivers State wishes to reassure its members, supporters, and the good people of the state that the party remains strong, united, and firmly committed to its mission of delivering people- leadership and governance.
“This follows recent political developments at the national level, including reports of movements by prominent political figures such as Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso. The ADC in Rivers State emphasises that the strength of the party lies not in individuals, but in its values, structures, and the collective will of the people.”
“Our party is built on integrity, inclusiveness, and service to the people. What we are building in Rivers State is bigger than any individual.
He said the prevailing situation allows the ADC to further deepen grassroots mobilisation and strengthen its structures at the ward, local government, and state levels.
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