Eshioromeh Sebastian
The Obidient Movement has urged Nigerians to remain calm amid mounting speculation that Peter Obi, is planning to dump the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
In a statement issued on Saturday via X (formerly Twitter), the National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, Yunusa Tanko, acknowledged the growing concerns and widespread reports regarding recent political developments in the country.
“The Obidient Movement acknowledges the growing concerns and widespread reports regarding recent political developments in the political landscape and evolving engagements with current and potential partners,” the statement read .
Tanko reassured supporters across Nigeria and in the diaspora that Obi is currently engaged in extensive, high-level consultations with key stakeholders, political allies, and aligned movements.
“We urge all Obidients to remain calm, patient, and focused. Do not be swayed by speculative reports. Peter Obi remains fully committed to this mission and will, in due course, formally address the Obidient Movement and the general public to provide clarity on the current situation and the direction ahead,” he added .
The rumours of a possible defection have intensified following a recent Supreme Court judgment on the ADC’s leadership crisis.
While the apex court vacated an earlier injunction that removed David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola as National Chairman and National Secretary of the ADC, it did not resolve the substantive leadership dispute. Instead, the matter was referred back to the Federal High Court, leaving key issues unsettled .
Multiple sources have reported that Obi’s camp is growing increasingly dissatisfied with the ADC’s internal structure. According to an insider who spoke with Punch newspapers, the party appears “designed and structured to favour an individual aspirant” and is allegedly unwilling to zone its presidential ticket to the South .
Reports suggest that Obi has been in discussions with the NDC, a party reportedly linked to former Bayelsa State Governor Senator Seriake Dickson. According to sources, the NDC has allegedly offered Obi an unchallenged presidential ticket for the 2027 election.
Similarly, Buba Galadima, Secretary of the Board of Trustees of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), hinted on Saturday that key opposition figures, including Obi and former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, would announce a new political platform on Monday .
Galadima disclosed at a stakeholders’ meeting organised by the Obi-Kwankwaso Movement in Abuja that both leaders were concluding arrangements to join the NDC, though he did not name the platform directly .
The speculation has attracted criticism from some political quarters. Former presidential aide Bashir Ahmad questioned Obi’s political consistency, suggesting that another defection would reflect an attempt to avoid internal party competition.
In a post on his X handle, Ahmad wrote: “Reports and indications suggest that Peter Obi and his blind supporters are reconsidering another political move away from their current platform, the ADC. The question here is whether Peter is leaving to escape standing against other aspirants within his party. It is the same path he once embraced in 2022 leading to the 2023 presidential election” .
He added: “If a political figure appears so afraid to test their popularity within their own party structure, it naturally leads to questions about how they intend to build the broad national consensus required to lead a country as diverse and complex as Nigeria”.
The Obidient Movement, however, has dismissed panic, maintaining that any decision taken will reflect the movement’s values of integrity, accountability, and active citizen participation.
“These consultations are deliberate, thorough, and guided by the overriding objective of securing a future that works for all Nigerians,” the statement emphasised .
The movement described ongoing consultations as part of the process of determining “the most strategic and effective path forward” in the best interest of Nigerians and the shared mission to build a New Nigeria .
While neither Obi nor his official spokespersons have confirmed any defection plans, the NDC Deputy Publicity Secretary, Abdulmumin Abdulsalam, acknowledged ongoing engagements involving Obi, Kwankwaso, and the party’s National Leader, Senator Seriake Dickson. He suggested that both opposition figures would be welcomed into the party.
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