The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has officially endorsed former Anambra State governor and 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Gregory Obi, as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.

The affirmation took place at a special convention held in Abuja on Saturday, where party delegates and leaders ratified Obi as the party’s flagbearer.

The motion for his endorsement was moved by Senator Victor Umeh and seconded by former Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege.

Moments after his endorsement, Obi announced former Kano State governor, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, as his running mate, describing him as a genuine partner in governance rather than a ceremonial deputy.

In his acceptance speech, Obi thanked party leaders and supporters for the confidence reposed in him and reaffirmed his belief that “a New Nigeria is possible.”

“I humbly accept this responsibility as the presidential candidate of our party,” Obi declared.

He expressed gratitude to party leaders, including Senator Seriake Dickson, members of the National Working Committee, and supporters who travelled from across the country to witness the convention.

“This moment is bigger than my personal ambition,” Obi said.

“It concerns the soul of our nation and the future of our children. It is about restoring hope to millions of Nigerians who have endured hardship but remain committed to the promise of this country.”

Obi painted a grim picture of Nigeria’s current realities, citing insecurity, economic hardship, unemployment, and declining public confidence in governance.

“Families are anxious about their safety, parents fear for the future of their children, and talented young Nigerians increasingly doubt the possibility of opportunity in their own country,” he said.

“Businesses are struggling, communities are hurting, and many citizens have lost faith in governance. Yet, I stand here filled with hope and confidence in the resilience of our people because a New Nigeria is within reach.”

The NDC presidential candidate outlined key policy priorities for his proposed administration, including security, national unity, power supply, healthcare, education, and employment generation.

On youth unemployment and economic development, Obi stressed the need for urgent intervention.
“Our vast pool of talented youth remains significantly underemployed. The official unemployment figures do not reflect reality. The actual rates of unemployment and underemployment exceed 30 percent, while youth unemployment is above 40 percent — among the highest globally,” he said.

To address the challenge, Obi pledged support for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) through tax incentives, affordable credit, and improved access to financing in agriculture, manufacturing, entertainment, sports, and distribution sectors.

“These interventions will be measurable, transparent, and accountable,” he assured.

Addressing corruption and governance costs, Obi promised prudent and transparent management of public resources.

“Nigerians will witness a measurable reduction in corruption and the basic costs of governance,” he stated.

“Public funds will be managed with transparency, prudence, and accountability to ensure every naira delivers value to the people.”

He further pledged to strengthen democratic institutions and promote tolerance of political opposition.

“Democracy under our leadership will reflect true government of the people, by the people, and for the people — free from interference by the ruling party,” Obi said.

“We will cultivate a culture of respect for opposition parties and encourage constructive collaboration in governance.”

The endorsement of Obi and the emergence of an Obi-Kwankwaso ticket are expected to significantly shape Nigeria’s political landscape ahead of the 2027 presidential contest.

The Turaki-led PDP changed the venue of its convention on Saturday and briskly ratified former president Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.

The move was after the group was barred by the police from accessing the A Class Hotel in Abuja, initially rented for its convention.

The event, which did not last more than 20 minutes, had an ally of Jonathan, Fred Agbedi, who received the certificate on behalf of the former president.

Other dignitaries present at the event included Prof Jerry Gana, Tanimu Turaki, Adolphus Wabara, and several others who are loyal to Turaki.

The police had used several of their vans to completely block the two access roads leading off from the Wuse and Maitama axis, into the premises of the previously rented event centre.

The blockage deprived access to both PDP members loyal to Turaki and other road users who have nothing to do with the planned convention

The development comes following Friday’s warning to hotels and event centres by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, not to allow illegal political parties or organisations to use their resources for the sake of security in the FCT.

In response, the PDP, in a statement, accused Wike of attempting to halt its planned event.

According to the statement, the party said the management of A Class Event Centre informed it that pressure was being mounted on the venue to stop the gathering from taking place.

The PDP said it had already paid for the venue and fulfilled all conditions required for the programme.

The party also said security agencies had been notified of the convention scheduled for Saturday, May 30, 2026, in Wuse 2, Abuja.

The party insisted that the convention would proceed despite what it described as intimidation. (ChannelsTV)

Activist Aisha Yesufu has accused the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) of subverting the process for selecting the party’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT) senatorial candidate, saying she could not compromise her values in a process she described as unjust.

Yesufu made the allegation in a statement issued on Friday night, hours after announcing that the party would not be conducting primaries for the FCT Senate seat, effectively ending her bid for the ticket.

The activist had declared her intention to contest the race on May 6 after joining the NDC from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), saying her decision was inspired by the leadership experience she gained in her former party.

Her declaration came amid growing speculation that the party had already resolved to hand the FCT Senate ticket to another aspirant, Amanda Pam, who had been a member of the party before Yesufu joined.

Addressing supporters earlier on Friday, Yesufu urged them to remain calm and focus on the broader political objective ahead of the 2027 general election.

In a subsequent statement, however, she alleged that the process leading to the emergence of the party’s candidate was marred by injustice and violations of electoral guidelines.

“I understood what I was getting into. I knew that the quality of our politics has not yet risen to the occasion, that values-based candidates do not easily emerge by merit in a system built to resist them,” she said.

“But I made a decision going in: I would not compromise my values. I would stand for what is right. I did not leave advocacy to go into politics. I took advocacy into politics.”

Yesufu said she built her campaign on grassroots credibility and argued that the strength of her “SAY-Nation” movement altered the course of the party’s decision-making process.

According to her, the team became so formidable that the selection process “had to be taken out of the open and resolved through a clandestine affirmation behind closed doors.”

She further alleged that “what was billed as a primary was, in truth, a predetermined outcome dressed in procedural formalities”.

The activist claimed that the FCT senate primary process was repeatedly delayed, with venues changed at the last minute and party guidelines ignored.

“The delegate-based process was introduced to be conducted at a central location instead of direct primaries at Local Government headquarters,” she claimed.

“When the moment came, the contest was not decided by delegates in the open; it was affirmed in a closed room, away from the people whose voices it was supposed to reflect.”

She added that while the party may present the exercise as transparent, the events surrounding the process did not reflect fairness.

“The party may go on to release statements about the free and fair nature of the primary, but the facts that transpired, when weighed against conscience and the guidelines of the Electoral Act, do not reflect justice and fairness,” she said.

Explaining why she did not immediately challenge the outcome, Yesufu said she preferred to learn from the experience rather than become entangled in a lengthy grievance process.

“I ran to win. But when the process was subverted, I made a choice: I would not exhaust myself in a grievance process designed to wear people down. I chose instead to extract every lesson this experience had to offer,” she said.

“I now understand the architecture of the system in ways no textbook, no punditry, no amount of outside observation could ever teach.

“That knowledge is worth more than any petition I could have filed. I leave this process with something far more valuable than a ticket; I leave with clarity.”

Yesufu stressed that her account was limited to her experience in the FCT Senate contest and should not be interpreted as a reflection of events in other states.

Despite her criticisms, she maintained confidence in the party’s broader political role ahead of the 2027 elections.

“Despite its shortcomings, the NDC remains the only party that has given the best presidential candidate in the 2027 electoral cycle a platform to run,” she said.

The NDC had not issued an official response to the allegations as of the time of filing this report.Featured