The National Vice Chairman (South East) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Co-Zonal Coordinator of the APC Presidential Campaign Council for the South East, Dr. Ijeomah Arodiogbu, has strongly reacted to the deepening crisis rocking the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), following the back-to-back exits of two key figures associated with the party’s presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi.

The latest development saw Yunusa Tanko, popularly known as Dr. Tanko, a prominent ally of Peter Obi, former National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement and Political Adviser on Northern Nigeria, resign from Obi’s team and join the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

Tanko was subsequently unveiled as the National Coordinator of the SDP Presidential Campaign Council for the party’s presidential candidate, Prince Adewole Adebayo. He had formally tendered his resignation from Obi’s advisory role on 30 October 2026 and communicated the decision to both Obi and the NDC National Leader, Senator Seriake Dickson.

Barely hours after Tanko’s move became public, the NDC suffered another major blow with the resignation of its Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Abdulmumin Abdulsalami. In a strongly worded letter addressed to the National Chairman, Senator Moses Cleopas, and routed through his former ward chairman in Nagazi Ward, Adavi Local Government Area of Kogi State, Abdulsalami announced his immediate resignation from the party.

Abdulsalami, who described himself as a foundation member of the NDC and one of those who laboured during its formative stages, cited persistent injustice, exclusion, and the domination of the party by a few powerful individuals.

He said his sincere contributions to the growth of the party had become incompatible with the vested interests of those who “call the shots.” He also withdrew from all political and technical assignments he had been carrying out for the national leadership, stating that he preferred to protect his peace of mind rather than continue enduring what he described as a series of injustices.

Reacting to the twin developments, Dr. Arodiogbu described the successive resignations as clear evidence of deep-seated internal crisis, poor leadership, and organisational failure within the NDC.

“A political party that cannot manage its own internal affairs, that cannot treat its foundation members with fairness and dignity, and that continues to haemorrhage key allies and officials so close to a general election has no moral right to present itself as an alternative government,” Arodiogbu stated. “The NDC that failed to fix its own party cannot fix Nigeria.”

He noted that the pattern of exits raises serious questions about the cohesion, capacity and sincerity of the opposition platform. According to him, while the APC under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu continues to strengthen its structures nationwide and deliver on the Renewed Hope Agenda through economic reforms, infrastructure development, sports investment and youth empowerment programmes, the NDC appears more preoccupied with internal power struggles and personality clashes than with offering Nigerians a credible vision for national progress.

Arodiogbu further observed that the resignation of a foundation member such as Abdulsalami, who served in multiple capacities including as Protem Chairman in Kogi State and Deputy National Publicity Secretary, alongside the defection of a high-profile figure like Tanko, points to a party struggling with issues of inclusion, internal democracy and leadership accountability.

“Nigerians are discerning. They can distinguish between a party that is organised, focused and results-oriented, and one that is consumed by crises and the exit of its own key players,” he said. “A house divided against itself cannot stand, let alone provide the stability and competent leadership that a complex country like Nigeria requires.”

The APC South East leader used the opportunity to reaffirm the commitment of the ruling party to inclusive politics, grassroots mobilisation and the delivery of tangible dividends of democracy across the country.

He urged members of the opposition still within the NDC to carefully reflect on the emerging pattern of resignations and consider where genuine national progress is being made.

Arodiogbu called on Nigerians to support the re-election of President Tinubu in 2027 rather than being distracted by the internal contradictions of opposition parties that have yet to put their own houses in order.