Eshioromeh Sebastian
Barely hours after Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso formally joined the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), a fresh crisis has erupted within the party, threatening to undermine the much-touted opposition realignment ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The two opposition heavyweights, who defected from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) on Sunday, were officially registered as members of the NDC at its national secretariat in Abuja, where they were issued membership cards in a ceremony witnessed by party officials and cheering supporters .
But what was meant to be a celebratory moment has quickly soured following revelations that the party’s credibility is coming under intense scrutiny.
A civil society organisation, the Nigeria Democratic Rights Advocacy (NDRA), has raised serious legal concerns over what it described as “disturbing inconsistencies” in official party records.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the group alleged that one Barrister Reuben Egwuaba is listed as National Legal Adviser in both the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and the NDC simultaneously, with one of the listings reportedly backed “by court order.”
The group warned that the situation is “more than a clerical error,” describing it as “a serious legal contradiction with far-reaching implications.”
Citing provisions of the amended Electoral Act, particularly Section 77, NDRA noted that membership of more than one political party at the same time is expressly prohibited.
“The law is clear and uncompromising: any individual found guilty of dual party membership is liable to a fine of up to ₦10 million and/or a prison term of up to two years,” the group stated.
It further emphasised that the position of National Legal Adviser is a key office within a party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), requiring full and exclusive membership.
“Occupying this role in both the APM and NDC simultaneously is not only politically improper; it constitutes prima facie evidence of dual membership and a potential criminal offence under Nigerian law,” the statement added.
The development comes just hours after Obi and Kwankwaso formally severed ties with the ADC, a party they joined months earlier as part of a coalition of opposition forces.
Footage from the NDC registration event showed Kwankwaso receiving his membership card first, followed by Obi, as party officials and supporters witnessed the process . The two leaders had earlier held a closed-door meeting at the Abuja residence of the NDC’s National Leader and former Bayelsa State governor, Seriake Dickson .
Their defection followed weeks of speculation and was confirmed by Buba Galadima, Secretary of the Board of Trustees of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), who had disclosed on Saturday that the announcement would come on Monday .
Galadima had cited “uncertainties in the ADC following the Supreme Court judgement” as a key reason for the move, arguing that legal bottlenecks could effectively shut the ADC out of the 2027 electoral contest .
Multiple sources indicated that the decision to defect from the ADC was largely informed by rising tensions over the party’s presidential ticket.
While Obi and Kwankwaso had been working on an alliance that would yield them the presidential and vice-presidential tickets, indications emerged that former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has not given up on the ticket and feels he remains the most qualified candidate to face President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
NDRA has called for urgent clarification from all parties involved, stressing that the matter must not be ignored.
“If these records are accurate, then this is a clear violation of the law. If they are not, the public deserves an immediate correction and a full explanation as to how such conflicting information came to be officially documented,” the group said.
The organisation also urged relevant authorities, including electoral regulators, to investigate the dual membership issue without delay and take appropriate action.
“Political parties must not become safe havens for legal contradictions. The rule of law must be upheld without exception,” it stated.
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