The Ondo State Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Kennedy Peretei, has said the party is witnessing an unprecedented wave of interest nationwide, describing the current momentum as a clear sign of a major political shift ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Peretei made the remarks during an interview on Adamimogo 105.1FM, Ibadan, where he addressed growing public interest in the party, internal political developments, and the prospects of key opposition figures aligning with the NDC.
Responding to reports that the party had gained as many as 10 million followers within 48 hours, Peretei insisted the figures were verifiable and not artificially generated.
“Anybody can go to the NDC website and confirm this,” he said, dismissing suggestions that the numbers were exaggerated or digitally manipulated.
He described the response at the state level as overwhelming, revealing that his phone had been flooded with calls from people seeking information about the party.
“Even as I’m speaking to you, I have several calls on waiting. Yesterday, I had to switch off my phone because I couldn’t contain the volume of calls coming in. It has been overwhelming,” he said.
On whether his decision to leave the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the NDC was based on prior knowledge of possible high-profile defections, including speculated alignments involving Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso, Peretei said his move was informed by political foresight rather than insider knowledge.
According to him, it had become evident that existing opposition arrangements on other platforms would face legal and structural challenges.
“What was clear to me was that some of the opposition platforms being structured elsewhere were going to run into serious issues. Even now, there are multiple court cases around some of them,” he stated.
He dismissed concerns that the NDC could face similar internal crises, arguing that the party had largely escaped early political attacks because it was underestimated.
“The NDC came like a thief in the night. Many had written it off as a one-man party and never saw its rise coming,” he said.
Peretei also defended the movement of politicians across party lines, saying Nigeria’s democratic space remains fluid and evolving.
“Nigerian democracy is still evolving. Political movements are often dictated by prevailing realities, interests, and the search for viable platforms to actualise political visions,” he said.
Addressing criticisms surrounding the political trajectory of individuals such as Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso, he argued that changing political parties should not automatically be interpreted as inconsistency.
“It is not about lacking character or direction. Sometimes, political actors must seek new pathways when existing platforms can no longer serve the purpose of national progress,” he explained.
The Ondo NDC chairman expressed confidence that the current momentum would translate into actual electoral strength rather than remain a social media phenomenon.
“This is beyond paper figures. It will translate to votes. What we are seeing is a genuine political awakening, and many people are gravitating towards the NDC,” he said.
He added that the party was leveraging lessons from the failures and pitfalls of other political movements and was strategically positioned to navigate Nigeria’s complex political terrain.
“We have the technical know-how and the experience to manage this momentum successfully and reach the promised destination,” Peretei stated.
