The national leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso, is stalling his proposed defection to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) over doubts that former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, will secure the party’s 2027 presidential ticket, credible sources have told Sunday PUNCH.
Advocate.ng reports that insiders in the Kwankwasiya Movement and the ADC said Kwankwaso’s move is tied to a proposed Obi–Kwankwaso alliance on the ADC platform, an arrangement reportedly initiated by former President Olusegun Obasanjo. However, uncertainty over the ADC ticket has slowed talks.
Confirming recent engagements, a senior ADC official said committees from both sides met in Abuja but failed to reach a final decision. “We’re closing in on Kwankwaso, and we will be happy to receive him. Our committee and his met a few days ago… we’re still engaging, though there are some unresolved issues,” the official said, adding that a “strong conclusion” could be reached in a week or two.”
A Kwankwaso loyalist acknowledged the talks but said defection may not happen “anytime soon,” citing caution from northern leaders and Obasanjo. “Kwankwaso is the bargaining strength for Peter Obi to get the presidential ticket in the ADC, and the card must be carefully played,” the source said. He warned of a plot to edge Obi out at the primaries: “The game ahead is that Obi will participate in the ADC presidential primary, and after losing to Atiku, he will be persuaded to take the VP slot.”
The source added that wider consultations were ongoing. “We are committed to seeing the South complete its eight years, which is only possible with Peter Obi’s presidency… RMK is still consulting, and until those consultations are concluded, nothing serious will happen. Politics is dynamic. A day is too long in the political arena.”
Both camps confirmed another meeting next week. Meanwhile, ADC spokesman Bolaji Abdullahi and NNPP spokesperson Ladipo Johnson declined to comment, saying they lacked information on the talks, though Abdullahi described Kwankwaso as a “strong political leader.”
