Former Obidient Movement coordinator, Mr. Yunusa Tanko, has dumped the camp of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, and has been named to lead the presidential campaign of Adewole Adebayo of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), according to reports.
According to reports, SDP chairman Abubakar Sadiq Gombe announced Tanko’s appointment as coordinator of the party’s presidential campaign council on Wednesday.
The appointment would place Tanko, a prominent figure in Peter Obi’s 2023 campaign, on a different candidate’s campaign team ahead of the 2027 election.
However, the announcement does not by itself establish that Tanko has resigned from the Obidient Movement or publicly ended his support for Obi.
Tanko was previously identified as the movement’s national coordinator and served in Obi’s 2023 campaign organisation.
The appointment is also politically contested: the SDP’s official website says Adebayo was expelled from the party and was never its presidential nominee.
The party’s statement raises questions about the authority behind the campaign appointment and Adebayo’s status as an SDP candidate.
Dispute over Adebayo’s party status
The SDP’s statement says Adebayo was expelled through resolutions adopted at a National Executive Committee meeting and party convention on May 20, 2026.
It also says the proceedings were monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and argues that Adebayo was ineligible for the party’s nomination process.
The party has urged INEC to review its published records in light of the resolutions and nomination documents it says were submitted.
Separately, TheCable reported in May that Adebayo had been adopted as the SDP’s 2027 presidential candidate at a convention in Bauchi.
The conflicting claims suggest a dispute within the party over its leadership and candidate selection.
Neither the campaign appointment report nor the SDP statement resolves that dispute as Tanko joins the fray.
The status of Adebayo’s candidacy may therefore depend on official records and any further resolution of the party conflict.
The political role of Yunusa Tanko
Tanko became widely known nationally as a leading organiser and spokesperson for Obi’s 2023 Labour Party presidential campaign.
He later continued as a prominent Obidient Movement figure, speaking publicly about Obi and opposition politics.
In April 2025, Tanko said Obi remained a Labour Party member, while reports in 2026 described him as the Obidient Movement’s national coordinator.
His reported appointment to Adebayo’s campaign marks a notable change in political alignment, if confirmed by Tanko or the relevant campaign body.
No direct statement from Tanko confirming the appointment or explaining his decision was included in the reports reviewed.
The competing SDP claims also mean the role’s political significance remains uncertain until the party clarifies who controls its campaign structure.
