Peter Obi, the 2023 Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party and former Kano State governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, on Sunday, formally joined the Nigeria Democratic Congress.
Both Obi and Kwankwaso were officially registered as members of the NDC on Sunday at its national secretariat in Abuja, where they were issued membership cards, signalling their formal entry into the party.
Footage from the event showed Kwankwaso receiving his membership card first, followed by Obi, as party officials and supporters witnessed the process.
Their defection comes shortly after Obi announced his resignation from the African Democratic Congress, citing internal challenges, while Kwankwaso had earlier revealed that he was engaged in “wide-ranging consultations” with the NDC.
The development follows a closed-door meeting held just hours earlier between the two leaders and top figures of the NDC at the Abuja residence of the party’s National Leader and former Bayelsa State governor, Seriake Dickson.
The meeting, which took place at Dickson’s residence in Guzape, is believed to be part of broader efforts to consolidate opposition forces and build a formidable coalition ahead of the next general elections.
Obi and Kwankwaso arrived at the meeting venue at about 5:18 p.m., where they were received by a crowd of enthusiastic supporters under the Obi-Kwankwaso Movement, chanting “O-K is okay” as the leaders made their way into the premises.
Kwankwaso was dressed in a white babanriga complemented by his trademark red-and-white Kwankwasiyya cap, while Obi appeared in an all-black kaftan with a matching cap.
The latest development underscores intensifying political manoeuvring among opposition figures as preparations for the 2027 elections gather momentum.
