Emerging party opens two-week window for presidential bid amid widening rift over election deadlines and judiciary interference claims

By Ifeoma Onyekachi

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has made an open appeal to Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso to defect to its platform and contest the 2027 presidential election, intensifying early political manoeuvres ahead of the polls.

In a post shared on X, the party urged both figures currently aligned with the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to take advantage of what it described as a narrow two-week window to secure its presidential and vice-presidential tickets. “All we need right now… 2 weeks to the deadline,” the party stated, alongside an image of the two politicians with the caption: “Nigeria will be OK.”

The outreach follows the emergence of the “OK Movement,” a political mobilisation campaign launched by supporters of Obi and Kwankwaso to build momentum for a potential joint ticket in 2027.

The timeline pressure stems from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which has set May 30, 2026, as the deadline for political parties to submit membership registers and nominate candidates. However, several opposition parties have rejected the schedule, calling for an extension of primaries to July.

Among those pushing back are factions of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), and the ADC, whose leaders argue that the current timetable disproportionately favours the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Meanwhile, tensions have deepened within the ADC over an ongoing leadership dispute now before the Supreme Court of Nigeria. A coalition of party stakeholders under the Grassroots for Mobilisation Network (GMN) has accused the presidency and the APC of attempting to influence the court’s ruling.

Speaking in Abuja, GMN spokesperson Peter Emeka called on authorities to respond to allegations of undue pressure on Supreme Court justices, warning that silence could erode public trust in democratic institutions.

He also cited reports suggesting that the court’s decision in favour of a claimant, Nafiu Bala Gombe, may have been predetermined claims that remain unverified. Emeka further alleged that recent political interventions by the presidency risk undermining party autonomy and democratic norms.

Legal analysts, however, maintain that internal party disputes are traditionally considered non-justiciable, referencing past rulings that limit judicial involvement in such matters.

Neither the APC nor the presidency has formally responded to the allegations. As political alignments continue to shift, the coming weeks are expected to test both the resilience of opposition coalitions and the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral and judicial processes.