Nigeria’s political space is witnessing the rise of a new player that could reshape the battle for power in the 2027 general elections.
In the build-up to the polls, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) appears to be emerging as the “Third Force” in the nation’s political equation after the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC), where political actors are seeking shade.
ADC had overshadowed the PDP, which is currently embroiled in a leadership crisis, following the exit of some of the latter’s top shots who moved to the former within months. Some of the defectors include former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Senate President David Mark and former Sokoto governor Aminu Tambuwal.
Former APC National Chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun and former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaech, also moved from the APC to the ADC. There were also Nasir El-Rufai, senators like Ireti Kingibe (FCT), Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia) and others who also fused into the ADC. Peter Obi, former Anambra State governor, and his Kano counterpart, Rabiu Kwankwaso, joined from the Labour Party and NNPP, respectively.
The LP, regarded as the “third force” in the 2023 election cycle, when Mr Obi and his “Obidients” joined it, has arguably shrunk in size and membership, no thanks to a debilitating leadership crisis, which tore it into two factions.
