IN SHORT: Defections are common in Nigerian politics. However, the New Nigeria People’s Party says some of its leaders have not joined the new African Democratic Congress, which plans to unseat president Bola Tinubu in the 2027 polls.
According to a message posted on Facebook in July 2025, 34 local government heads in Nigeria’s Katsina state have joined the new opposition party, the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Katsina is in northern Nigeria.
The message reads: “Breaking News; Just In Katsina state NNPP structure collapsed as 34 LG party chairmen defected to ADC through former Secretary to the state Government Dr Mustapha Muhammad Inuwa.”
Dr Boniface Aniebonam formed the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in 2001.
In early July 2025, a group of opposition leaders unveiled the ADC, a coalition that they intend to use to unseat president Bola Tinubu in the general elections in 2027.
The claim that dozens of local leaders have joined the new vehicle suggests the party is attracting grassroots support.
In Nigeria, it is not uncommon for politicians to switch their allegiances to different parties before and after elections. They do so for various stated reasons, such as unfair treatment and harassment.
The claim was also shared on Facebook. But have 34 local government heads joined the ADC?
‘Defection was from APC, not from NNPP’
On 21 July 2025, the NNPP denied claims that the leaders had joined the African Democratic Congress, with a statement signed by the party’s chair in Katsina state, Alhaji Armaya'u Abdulkadir.
In response to the story, Abdulkadir claimed that some of the party’s local government leaders had switched allegiance to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) after the 2023 presidential elections.
He added that it was these same leaders who had switched allegiance to the opposition ADC from the ruling APC.
“Therefore, their defection was from APC, not from NNPP,” he said.
An NNPP spokesperson also confirmed to Africa Check that the claim was false.
Similar messages appear on Facebook here, here, here, here, here and here.
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