Kwankwaso Considers Joining Atiku, Obi in ADC

·     Yusuf, assembly members decamp to APC Monday

·      Mutfwang defects to ruling party

·      PDP: We are rebuilding, alliance with other parties not ruled out

·     Obi joining ADC is political blockbuster, says party chieftain

Chuks Okocha in Abuja, Yemi Kosoko in Jos and Ahmed Sorondinki in KanoAs preparations for the 2027 elections gradually gather momentum and following the defection of his Governor, Abba Yusuf, along with most members of the Kano State House of Assembly to the All Progressives Congress (APC), former Kano State Governor and leader of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Alhaji Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, is weighing the option of teaming up with former Vice President and 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, and the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate and former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, under the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

While his political structure appears to be moving to the APC, Kwankwaso, THISDAY gathered is in talks with the ADC about joining the coalition party along with members of the Kwankwasiyya movement, who are his loyal supporters.

Sources told THISDAY that quiet negotiations are already underway as the politicians explore the possibility of forming a united front ahead of 2027 elections, even as strong indications emerged that the Governor of Kano State, Abba Yusuf, the only NNPP-controlled State is defecting to the APC on Monday.

Governor Yusuf’s planned defection to the APC has reportedly been opposed by Kwankwaso and has sparked sharp disagreement within the Kwankwasiyya movement.

Sources close to the Governor Yusuf disclosed that Vice President, Kashim Shettima; APC National Chairman Yitwalda Nentawe, former governor of the State, Abdullahi Ganduje, along with the state chairman of the party, Abdullahi Abbas, are expected at a brief ceremony on his defection into the ruling party in Abuja.If the talks between Atiku, Obi and Kwankwaso succeed, it could dramatically reshape opposition politics and alter the country’s political math.

Atiku, Obi and Kwankwaso came second, third and fourth in the 2023 presidential election.

But while the ruling party projects confidence with 28 Governors in its fold currently, an emboldened opposition is quietly rebuilding, betting that public frustration could reset the balance of power.

Obi had on Wednesday defected to ADC with his supporters, opposition leaders and some opposition National Assembly and State Assembly lawmakers.

Obi joins the likes of Atiku, David Mark, Aminu Tambuwal, Emeka Ihedioha, Rauf Aregbesola, Nasir El-Rufai, Rotimi Amaechi, Abubakar Malami, among others, in their quest to win the 2027 elections.

A chieftain of the ADC, Dr. Ladan Salihu, yesterday, said Obi joining the ADC has altered Nigeria’s opposition landscape and has positioned the party as a formidable challenger to the ruling APC.Also yesterday, the APC further tightened its dominance, as Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang formally defected to the ruling party.These emerged as the PDP yesterday said while its immediate concern was to ensure that all legal issues concerning its leadership are addressed, the opposition must agree to work together to defeat the ruling party.

Mutfwang Defects to APC

Mutfwang, yesterday, formally defected to the APC, describing the move as a step toward unifying the state’s fractured political landscape and strengthening Plateau’s voice at the national level.Speaking at a packed ceremony at the Government House in Jos which was attended by federal and state lawmakers, party leaders, and top government officials, Mutfwang said his decision followed “prayer, consultation, and deep reflection.”“I have decided to accept the membership of the APC,” he declared to loud applause.The Governor framed his defection as part of a broader mission to heal longstanding political divisions in the State.“One of the things I have dreamt about is that Plateau should be united,” he said.“I don’t care what side we belong to… if indeed you love Plateau, you are my brother.”Mutfwang reflected on years of political acrimony under successive administrations, noting that divisions persisted even after he assumed office.He said he had prayed for reconciliation with former Governor Simon Lalong, adding humorously that he had prayed; “May God cause Governor Lalong to fall into my hands. And today, I have captured you.”The Governor highlighted the symbolic significance of sitting alongside former political opponents.“Who would have thought that Hon. Yusuf Gagdi and I would be sitting on the same bench?” he asked. “God is a miracle worker.”He stressed that members of his former party, the PDP, remain his, “friends and brothers,” insisting that his defection was not an act of hostility.Mutfwang reaffirmed his loyalty to President Bola Tinubu, saying he had pledged support for the administration since June 2023.“I am committed to his presidency and committed to his re‑election,” he said.“Things may not have met everybody’s expectations, but I know his determination to fix the challenges of Nigeria.”He added that joining the APC would ensure his counsel was taken, “as one from the inside,” giving Plateau a stronger presence in national conversations.The Governor expressed optimism about future elections in the state. “I look forward to one of the most peaceful elections in the history of Plateau State in 2027,” he said.He predicted that the State could deliver one million votes for Tinubu.APC State Chairman, and Rufus Bature described the Governor’s entry into the party as a historic moment, stressing that “For everything there is a time — and the time is now.”Bature then presented Mutfwang with his APC membership card, officially completing the defection process.“Having fulfilled all the requirements of the party constitution, we accept you as a full member of the APC,” he announced.Mutfwang defected to the APC alongside his deputy Josephine Piyol, members of the State Executive Council as well as some appointees and Chairmen of the 17 local government councils in the State.Reacting to the Governor’s defection, the PDP, Plateau State Chapter criticised Mutfwang for defecting to the APC, describing the move as a “betrayal of public mandate” and an act of political opportunism.The State Publicity Secretary, Hon. Choji Felix Dalyop, told journalists at the party secretariat in Jos that the party confirmed receiving the Governor’s resignation letter through the chairman of its Ampang West Ward in Mangu Local Government Area, stressing that the decision came without prior consultation and amounted to abandoning the platform that brought him to power.According to Dalyop, Mutfwang’s defection, “is a slap in the face to the people of Plateau State, who trusted him against all odds,” adding that the governor had chosen “personal ambition over the collective welfare of the Plateau people.”The party insisted that there were no constitutional grounds for the Governor to defect without first vacating his seat, arguing that the action undermined democratic norms and the will of the electorate.“The defection is seen as an act of political opportunism that subverts the total will of the electorates,” the PDP said, warning that the move would not go unchallenged.The party also cautioned the APC in Plateau State against receiving the Governor “with open arms,” saying the opposition party would be complicit in what it described as a betrayal of the people.Despite the development, the PDP urged its members and supporters to remain calm and steadfast, assuring them that the party remains united and prepared for upcoming elections. It reaffirmed its commitment to good governance and the delivery of democratic dividends to the people of Plateau State.“The journey towards building a robust, resilient democracy on the Plateau has just started under this circumstance,” the statement added.  PDP: Opposition Must Agree to Work Together The PDP yesterday said that its immediate concern is to ensure that all legal issues concerning the leadership of the party were addressed.The party further said after that it would then commence rebuilding of the party to bring it back from its lost glories.National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, said this during a chat with THISDAY, while speaking on the focus of the party in the new year.Hide trimmed contentAccording to Ememobong, ”The focus of the Turaki-led PDP NWC is to clear the legal issues and rebuild the party on the foundation of truth, ideology and resilience.”Speaking further, he said, ”If alliance will happen, that’s a discussion of the future, though we know that the opposition must agree to work together to defeat the ruling party.”However, he stressed further, ”but how that agreement will be executed is a future discussion.” Ladan Salihu: Peter Obi Joining ADC Is Political Blockbuster Meanwhile, the ADC has said Peter Obi’s defection to the party has significantly boosted  its chances of winning the 2027 presidential election.A chieftain of the party, Ladan Salihu, said this on ARISE NEWS channel yesterday.Obi and some other prominent opposition leaders from the South-East had on Wednesday officially defected to the ADC.Reacting, the ADC chieftain said, “The declaration of Mr. Peter Obi joining the ADC is a political blockbuster, which is a one step to the Presidential Villa.“It is a defining moment in our political history. We are now working to strengthen the party and position it as a major opposition force in Nigeria.“Remember some weeks back former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar declared for the ADC. Now, we have Peter Obi and now numbers don’t lie.“The two put together in the last presidential elections in 2023 had about 63 percent of the total presidential votes. So, if you take that calculus and put it on the table, you can literally say that the coming of Peter Obi into the ADC has put us in pole position one leg already in the presidential villa.”He said the atmosphere within the ADC has been transformed by Obi’s defection, noting widespread excitement across all levels of the party. “I am so excited. So are all members, from the top to the bottom echelon of the ADC, excited by this moment, by this monumental leap into political party activity.”Salihu pointed to the presence of prominent political figures in the South-East as evidence of the ADC’s growing influence, describing a coalition of senators, former governors, and senior legislators rallying around the party’s platform.He added: “When you look at the optics in Enugu, who is who in Eastern Nigerian politics, senators, former governors, former deputy speakers and many others. We are excited, we are upbeat, and we are looking forward to a very keenly contested national and presidential elections.”Addressing concerns about internal divisions within the ADC, Salihu dismissed claims of factionalism, insisting the party remains united and resilient.“It’s in the playbook of the APC-led government, to continue to cause disaffection, disunity, so that all the political parties will disintegrate and collapse. It’s not going to work with the ADC,” he added.He described individuals claiming to represent factions within the ADC as politically irrelevant, arguing that recent endorsements and structural changes within the party have already settled questions of leadership and direction. “The ADC is one party. The other person is on his own, an irritant interloper. It’s hysterical nonsense. It’s not something that will fly.” Salihu cautioned against early fixation on presidential candidacy, saying the party’s immediate priority should be consolidation, expansion, and clear communication of its vision to Nigerians. “We should not so much be looking at the issue of presidential elections at this stage. We should be looking at how we grow the party, how we market the party, how we sell the party to Nigerians, how we take the message to the grassroots.”He also rejected the notion that Obi’s supporters or any political bloc should impose conditions on the ADC regarding the presidential ticket. “In politics, you don’t join a political party with conditionalities and conditions. The idea of somebody coming up to tell Nigerians, not only in ADC, in any political party, that if my presidential candidate should not win, it’s nothing, is anti-democratic.”According to Salihu, internal democracy must guide the party’s decisions, with aspirants expected to earn the support of delegates. “You join as a member, you harvest your votes, you put your credibility, and eventually the delegates will decide.”On the debate over zoning and whether the presidency should remain in the South, he said competence and leadership capacity should outweigh regional considerations. “The idea of saying one portion should do eight years and the other one should do eight years, even in the political mathematics of Nigeria, is unsustainable. I don’t agree with it.”He expressed strong confidence in the ADC’s ability to withstand political pressure. “We will resist it. They will not divide the ADC. We will coalesce as the coalition that we are, and we will come up solid and firm. We can take on anybody, any political structure, and we will defeat them hands down.”