The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has called on former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and other opposition leaders to unite behind its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and his running mate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, ahead of the 2027 general election.
Ibrahim Abdulkarim, Director-General of the NDC Presidential Campaign Council, made the appeal during an interview on Arise News. He argued that opposition parties and political leaders would need to work together if they hoped to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Key Takeaways
- The NDC has invited Atiku Abubakar and other opposition figures to join the Obi-Kwankwaso alliance.
- Campaign Director-General Ibrahim Abdulkarim argues that opposition unity is essential to challenging the APC in 2027.
- Abdulkarim says Kwankwaso has set aside his presidential ambition to support Obi, according to his account.
- The campaign chief has defended the NDC’s support-group structure amid comparisons with the Obidient Movement.
- The party says it has a plan to protect votes and intends to campaign peacefully across the country.
NDC Says Opposition Unity Is Key to 2027 Election
Abdulkarim said opposition leaders should not assume that any potential coalition must be organised through the African Democratic Congress (ADC). He maintained that the NDC could also serve as a platform for opposition groups seeking to cooperate ahead of the next presidential election.
QUOTE BLOCK — IBRAHIM ABDULKARIM
“The opposition has to come together for us to win. The opposition have already come together. Nobody said the coalition must happen on ADC. It can happen in NDC, and Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has already dropped his ambition,” he said.
The campaign director’s remarks place the proposed alliance at the centre of the NDC’s strategy for attracting opposition leaders and consolidating support ahead of 2027. However, the statement represents his description of the political arrangement; the supplied report does not establish that all the opposition figures mentioned have agreed to join it.
Abdulkarim Invites Atiku and Other Opposition Leaders
Abdulkarim specifically appealed to Atiku Abubakar and other opposition figures to bring their political networks and supporters into the proposed alliance. He suggested that a broader coalition could expand the alliance’s reach across the country.
QUOTE BLOCK — IBRAHIM ABDULKARIM
“What we are asking for is for other people to join us, including former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, to join all of us, so at least we will have the spread that they think they can add,” Abdulkarim said.
The invitation highlights the importance the NDC campaign leadership places on cooperation among opposition politicians. Whether the appeal results in a formal arrangement will depend on the decisions of the leaders and parties involved.
NDC Campaign Chief Defends Party’s Support Groups
The campaign director also responded to criticism that the NDC lacked a campaign structure comparable to the Obidient Movement, the support movement associated with Peter Obi.
Abdulkarim rejected the comparison, arguing that a political party and a support group are different entities. He maintained that support groups operate within the NDC’s wider political structure.
QUOTE BLOCK — IBRAHIM ABDULKARIM
“How can you compare a party with a support group? We don’t have any problem. They’re all part of the NDC party. We have more than a thousand support groups like that,” he said.
His claim about the number of support groups was not independently verified in the supplied report. The statement nevertheless shows that the campaign leadership is presenting grassroots networks as an important part of its electoral organisation.
Party Promises Vote Protection and Peaceful Campaigns
Abdulkarim also addressed concerns among Nigerians who have lost confidence in the electoral process. He said the party had developed a programme intended to help ensure that votes are counted.
QUOTE BLOCK — IBRAHIM ABDULKARIM
“I can promise anybody, anybody that feels he wants his vote to count, we have a very, very unique and serious programme that we have put in place,” he stated.
The campaign chief did not provide further details about the programme in the supplied account. Its specific measures and how they would operate were therefore not established in the interview excerpts provided.
He also pledged that the party’s campaign would be peaceful and extend to communities across the country.
QUOTE BLOCK — IBRAHIM ABDULKARIM
“We are going to do our campaign peacefully. We are going to go into every corner,” he added.
Political Implications of the Proposed Alliance
The appeal reflects an effort by the NDC campaign leadership to broaden its political reach by attracting established opposition figures and their support bases. If more leaders agree to cooperate, the arrangement could influence how opposition parties organise and compete ahead of the 2027 election.
However, the effectiveness of any alliance would depend on factors not established by the supplied report, including whether the leaders reach a formal agreement, how their supporters respond, and how the parties coordinate their campaigns.
Abdulkarim’s comments also place attention on two additional issues: the NDC’s capacity to mobilise supporters and its proposed approach to protecting votes. These remain claims and plans outlined by the campaign director rather than independently demonstrated outcomes.
What Happens Next?
The immediate question is whether Atiku Abubakar and other opposition leaders will respond positively to the NDC’s invitation. Any subsequent agreement, public response or formal coalition announcement would help clarify the prospects of the proposed arrangement.
For now, Abdulkarim has made the party’s position clear: the NDC wants opposition leaders to unite behind the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket, while promising a peaceful campaign and a programme aimed at protecting votes.
The appeal adds another development to political preparations for 2027, but the extent of opposition cooperation remains to be seen.
