* NDC invited to Ibadan Summit,  but did not attend

By Henry Umoru

ABUJA- Ahead of the 2027 general and Presidential elections, strong indications that the newly registered Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, has made fresh moves to attract two of Nigeria’s most influential opposition figures into a possible joint presidential arrangement.

They are the 2023 Presidential candidates on the platforms of the Labour Party (LP) and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, respectively.

In a post shared on X on Sunday, the NDC signalled what it described as a limited window for both politicians to join its platform before its primary deadline.

“All we need right now. Just all we need. 2 weeks to the deadline,” the party wrote, alongside a photo showing Obi and Kwankwaso shaking hands with the caption: “Nigeria will be OK.”

The message has intensified speculation over behind-the-scenes coalition talks, as opposition actors reposition ahead of what is expected to be a highly competitive 2027 election cycle.

Meanwhile, supporters of Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso have, in recent weeks, been driving a growing mobilisation effort known as the “OK Movement,” which promotes a strategic partnership between the two politicians. The movement is reportedly expanding its reach across states and regions, adding momentum to ongoing discussions about a possible opposition merger.

On the Ibadan Summit, where Nigeria’s opposition political parties met and resolved to field a single candidate to challenge President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid, Vanguard gathered that the NDC was invited to the meeting but could not attend due to the short notice.

Consequently, the party had to cancel the trip, even though the party’s flags were said to have been displaced at the venue of the summit, as consultations and possible alignment are still ongoing ahead of the elections.

When contacted about the party’s romance with Obi and Kwankwaso, the National Secretary of the NDC, Ikenna Morgan, said there are so many social media handles mimicking the NDC and posting messages attributed to it.

Morgan said, “I’m not going to say I handle the party’s Twitter account. A journalist from another news platform called me about it, and I told him I needed to verify with the responsible parties.

“You see, sometime ago, Sahara Reporters published something said to be from the Twitter handle of the NDC. I doubted that it was a verified handle.

“It’s possible that someone who is not even a member of the NDC created that account and made the comment, which Sahara Reporters picked up and turned into news.

“So, this one you’re referring to now—I haven’t seen it—but I also do not want to believe it is from a verified handle. I believe all our official handles are verified. If it’s not from a verified handle, then it is not from us.

Responding to a question, the NDC scribe said: “If it’s not from our verified handle, it’s not from us. If you check today, you’ll find many Facebook, Twitter, and other accounts claiming to represent the NDC. That is not correct. All our official handles are verified.

“As I said, I don’t handle our social media accounts, but I know they are verified. So, check the account in question—if it’s not verified, then it’s not from us.”