Obidient Movement has declared a clear change of political course with a pledge of full alignment with the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as the next vehicle for its reform program, hours after Peter Obi joined the party.
On the other hand, National Leader of NDC, Senator Seriake Dickson, defended the registration of the party. He dismissed claims of anomalies, urged Nigerians to ignore what he termed as propaganda, The Guardian writes.
But the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and associates of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar have dismissed rumors of defection negotiations with NDC, with claims of continued contacts and a likely midweek announcement.
The Obi’s defection followed his withdrawal from the ADC, a decision inspired by the desire for a more stable, credible and purpose-driven political system. His next step was to join the NDC, with Rabiu Kwankwaso, a hint of a new, bigger political coalition to upend Nigeria’s political landscape.
“The transition is strategic and it is necessary because the moment requires more than fragmented efforts,” said National Coordinator of the Movement, Dr Yunusa Tanko. “It’s got to coalesce around a platform that can translate public aspirations into governance reality.”
He asked members across the country and in the Diaspora to commence registration for the NDC at ward levels with immediate effect. “A digital registration portal has also been opened to ensure accessibility and ease of participation for all supporters.
Dickson, a former governor of Bayelsa State, said in a post on X yesterday that the party’s establishment followed a process that has been going on since 2017, contrary to assertions that it was just given recognition without proper process.
“For the record, the annexures show that we started the registration process of NDC as far back as 2017 and INEC granted approval at that time before the process was stopped.
He said the party reviewed and amended its application when the INEC began the registration of political associations.
Dickson’s comments are coming after the controversy generated by the accusations made by convener of the League of Northern Democrats (LND) and promoter of the All Democratic Alliance (ADA), Umar Ardo, who accused the electoral body of illegally registering the NDC in violation of constitutional provisions and its own guidelines on DCL Hausa.
Ardo said his group and others completed all conditions for registration but were ignored while the NDC was recognized under apparently dubious circumstances.
“In an interview, Ardo said, “NDC got registered without applying, without fulfilling the requirements of the law, without fulfilling the articles of the Constitution and without fulfilling INEC’s instructions.
But Dickson dismissed the allegations saying the party had followed appropriate process and misinformation should not be allowed to divert the party from its objectives.
“With my experience in politics, I know fully well that an ambitious project of this nature will attract distractions – rumours, gossip, propaganda and even blackmail,” he added, encouraging Nigerians to remain focused on the party’s bigger aim of national rebirth.
The counter-attack from supporters of ADC and Atiku comes as the party is battling internal difficulties over leadership and direction and how to govern a large opposition coalition ahead of the next electoral cycle.
In reaction to the accusations, Atiku’s media adviser, Paul Ibe, told reporters that his principle and the former governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola, were not having such discussions.
If that is so then I shall be the first to know. I don’t think there is anything like that (defection to NDC),” Ibe said when contacted.
Party leaders also dismissed the allegations within the party, claiming there were no discussions linking its major figures to the NDC and the reports did not reflect the facts.
Bolaji Abdullahi, ADC National Publicity Secretary, denounced the news as, “100 per cent rubbish.”
The sources indicate purported top-level discussions between the main political actors inside the ADC and important NDC members and suggest that a formal move could be revealed as early as Wednesday (tomorrow).
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