Aniefiok Christopher
The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi and former Presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party NNPP, Rabiu Kwankwaso, have formally joined the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Obi, a former Anambra State governor, and Kwankwaso, a former Kano State governor, joined the opposition party in Abuja at its national secretariat on Sunday, May 3 and collected NDC membership cards amid cheers from supporters, shortly after a closed-door meeting with leaders of the NDC.
The two leaders, who defected from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), were welcomed into the party by a former Governor of Bayelsa State and national leader of the party, Seriake Dickson.
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This comes amid ongoing political realignments among opposition figures ahead of the 2027 general elections.
‘Please, let there be no litigation’
Addressing party leaders, members and supporters, the former Anambra governor called on the Federal Government not to transfer political crises to the NDC.
He also while appealing for a free democratic space, without Federal Government interference.
“Please, let there be no litigation. Party members, please, don’t go to court. What we want is a party. Women and children will be proud of this party.
This party will form a government that will rescue Nigeria, will form a government to ensure that Nigerians can live in Nigeria without living in fear, to ensure that a mother will no longer cry for a child that left for school and will not return,” the former governor said.
“We will ensure that Nigerians will no longer go to bed in their millions, not knowing where the next meal will come from the next day.
“We don’t want to spend our time in litigation and fighting ourselves. We want to spend our time dealing with issues that affect the ordinary Nigerian,” he added.
Obi appealed to Nigerians and his supporters to “do everything possible” to join the party.
Kwankwaso called on all Nigerians to register with the NDC as soon as possible.
He declared that his camp had commenced registration immediately.
‘No Faction, Litigation’
Earlier, Dickson believes that with both leaders, “Nigeria will be new again.”
“On behalf of the leaders of our party and on behalf of the teeming members of our party, well-meaning Nigerians from all over our country, who in the five months have defied all odds and conquered all doubts, and invested their trust and confidence in the dream and vision of this party.
“On behalf of all of them, I thank you all, and I welcome you all, especially to the NDC and my humble home,” he said.
The national leaders said that, though young, the NDC was ready to “box above its weight”.
“I welcome you to Nigeria’s fastest-growing political party. I welcome you all to Nigeria’s most stable political party.
“I welcome you all to a party that has no faction, to a party that has no litigation whatsoever. I also want to welcome you all to a party that does not know what is called status quo ante bellum,” the senator said.
He described Obi and Kwankwaso as very qualified, noting that the party’s formalities would be unveiled at the appropriate time.
