The South-West arm of the Obi-Kwankwaso Movement has claimed that more than 10 million Nigerians registered with the Nigeria Democratic Congress within 24 hours of the defection of former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to the party.
The South-West Coordinator of the movement, Dr. Adefolaseye Adebayo, made the claim while speaking on the political momentum generated by Obi’s move, describing it as a major shift ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Obi and former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, had on Sunday left the African Democratic Congress for the NDC, in a development that has intensified political realignments within the opposition.
Adebayo said the surge in registration reflected growing public confidence in Obi’s leadership and electoral prospects, adding that his followership cuts across the six geopolitical zones.
According to her, Obi’s political appeal is built more on his personality, competence and perceived capability than on any particular political platform.
“Mr. Peter Obi has a lot of followership across Nigeria. You can’t say that Obi’s chances or the chance of the South-East reduced drastically.
“Within 24 hours after Peter Obi left ADC, 10 million Nigerians registered with NDC, and that says a lot,” she said.
Adebayo also claimed that a significant number of ADC members had defected to the NDC following Obi’s move.
“They obviously know something. The person who has the capability to win the election is Obi,” she added.
She maintained that Obi’s entry into the NDC had energised political structures nationwide, particularly in the South-West, where she said grassroots mobilisation had intensified.
According to her, if the momentum is sustained, the NDC could emerge as a formidable platform ahead of the 2027 elections.
However, the leadership of the NDC had not confirmed the registration figures claimed by the movement as of press time.
The development comes amid growing commentary over the future of the NDC following the entry of Obi and Kwankwaso into the party.
Veteran journalist and former presidential aide, Reuben Abati, also speaking on Arise Television, said the arrival of Obi and Kwankwaso had changed the momentum within the NDC and boosted its national visibility.
According to him, the party’s membership had risen sharply from about 9.4 million to over 10 million within a short period.
He said, “Mr. Peter Obi and Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso joining the NDC has changed the momentum in the Nigerian Democratic Congress, led by Senator Seriake Dickson.
“Now the NDC has suddenly become the beautiful bride.”
Abati, however, cautioned that the growing influx of politicians into the party must not turn it into what he described as an “IDP camp” for displaced politicians.
“The NDC may even emerge as the major opposition party, but it must not become an IDP camp. That is a camp for internally displaced politicians.
“So all kinds of internally displaced politicians are running to the IDP camp that the NDC is likely to become,” he said.
He warned that beyond attracting political figures, the party must define a clear ideological direction and engage Nigerians on a concrete governance agenda.
Abati said although the party’s website contains broad themes such as service to the people, rule of law, agriculture and transportation, those ideas must be developed into a clear contract with Nigerians.
“The NDC must engage the people, apart from making sure that it does not become an IDP camp, at the level of ensuring that it has a basic contract with the Nigerian people,” he said.
He added that the rise of the NDC should serve as a wake-up call to the ruling All Progressives Congress, despite attempts by some APC figures to dismiss the party.
According to him, the development shows that opposition politics cannot be suppressed, as political actors will continue to find new platforms if existing ones become unstable or inaccessible.
“What it means is that the opposition cannot be suppressed in this country. If you close them down in ADC, you try to close them down in the PDP, of course, they will show up somewhere else,” he said.
Abati expressed hope that the build-up to the 2027 elections would remain competitive and give Nigerians meaningful choices.
He added that Obi and Kwankwaso had brought “a different kind of heft, peace and momentum” to the NDC.
