“MY DAUGHTER, MY DAUGHTER” — GRIEF, SHOCK AS NURSING STUDENT FOUND DEAD IN ALOR SPARKS OUTCRY AND POLICE PROBE

By Stephen Okeke

 

-      Tanko says switch was necessary to protect democratic participation amid legal and timing pressures

 

The Obidient Movement has defended the recent political realignment involving former presidential candidates Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso, describing their move from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) as a bold and necessary decision aimed at safeguarding democratic participation.

The position was made known by the National Coordinator of the movement, Yunusa Tanko, during a television interview in Abuja on Monday, where he addressed growing public reactions to the development.

Tanko insisted that the decision was not driven by convenience or political advantage, but by what he described as increasing structural and legal constraints within the political space that could undermine opposition participation.

According to him, the current environment within the ADC had become increasingly complicated, with legal processes and strict electoral timelines making it difficult for aspirants to successfully navigate nomination procedures within the available timeframe.

He argued that the situation left little room for fair competition and risked excluding key political actors from the electoral process.

“In our view, what we are seeing is a difficult political environment, not necessarily targeted at any single party,” Tanko said. “But for figures like Peter Obi and Engineer Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, this step became necessary in order to keep their political participation alive and ensure democracy is not weakened.”

He explained that the timing of electoral procedures further complicated the situation, noting that nomination deadlines and legal processes were tightly compressed.

Tanko pointed out that with only a few days remaining before the closure of submission windows, the likelihood of completing multiple layers of court processes within such a short period was unrealistic.

“From the 4th of May to the 10th, you are dealing with a very short window,” he said. “Within that period, you could have matters going from the Federal High Court to the Appeal Court and possibly the Supreme Court. Practically, it is not workable.”

He described the situation as a “procedural trap” that could potentially frustrate valid political ambitions, insisting that such conditions could weaken democratic competition if left unaddressed.

While clarifying that his comments were not an attack on the ADC, Tanko maintained that the move by Obi, Kwankwaso and others was a strategic response to preserve political relevance and ensure continued participation in the democratic process.

He added that supporters of the Obidient Movement would continue to stand behind the decision, stressing that it was taken in the broader interest of political inclusion and opposition strength.

“For us, this is about protecting democracy,” he said. “We believe this step helps ensure that key voices are not silenced by technical or procedural limitations.”

Tanko further called on supporters of the movement to remain united behind the new political direction, saying it would help sustain momentum ahead of future electoral contests.

He concluded that the decision reflects a wider need for flexibility within Nigeria’s political system, especially where legal and institutional processes risk becoming barriers to participation rather than enablers of democracy.