Ex-Obidient Movement Leader, Yunusa Tanko dumps Obi, emerges SDP Campaign Coordinator

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has appointed Yunusa Tanko, former spokesman for Peter Obi and immediate past National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, as the National Coordinator of its Presidential Campaign Council ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Tanko was unveiled on Wednesday during the inauguration of the party’s Presidential Campaign Council at its national secretariat in Abuja.

The event was attended by members of the SDP National Working Committee, party chieftains, stakeholders and supporters.

Also present were Obiora Ifoh, immediate past National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, and other prominent members of the Julius Abure-led faction of the party.

Tanko’s appointment comes less than two weeks after he resigned as Obi’s Political Adviser for Northern Nigeria, a position he assumed following his removal as National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement in October.

He had announced his resignation on October 30, 2026, explaining that he was returning to the National Consultative Front (NCFront), where he serves as co-chairman.

Speaking after his unveiling, Tanko thanked the SDP leadership for the confidence reposed in him and pledged to work with the party’s presidential candidate, Prince Adewale Adebayo, to secure victory in the 2027 election.

He described the SDP as a left-wing, people-oriented party committed to representing the interests of disadvantaged Nigerians.

“The SDP is a left-wing political party. For those of you who do not know, we represent the interests of the downtrodden. The SDP represents those people that you neglect on the streets. So, that makes this particular party people-oriented,” he said.

Tanko also expressed appreciation to the party leadership for appointing him to coordinate its presidential campaign.

He explained that his return to the NCFront followed his assumption of a leadership position in the organisation on October 18, 2026, after the death of its former co-chairman and ex-Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ghali Na’Abba.

Na’Abba had co-chaired the organisation with Professor Pat Utomi.

Tanko said the SDP appointment offered him an opportunity to return to the political platform he helped build and contribute to its mission of serving Nigerians.

He described the invitation from the NCFront as a return to a political family with which he had worked before taking up responsibilities in the Obidient Movement.

The former Obidient Movement coordinator also confirmed that he had formally resigned from his position as Obi’s political adviser before accepting the SDP appointment.

“I tendered my resignation on the 30th of October 2026 as the political advisor to His Excellency Mr Peter Obi, to represent Northern Nigeria,” he said.

Tanko added that he had contacted Obi and the National Leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Senator Seriake Dickson, whom he commended for receiving him during his time as chairman and coordinator of the Obidient Movement.

He further pledged to work with the NCFront leadership and SDP presidential candidate Adebayo, noting that his relationship with the former predated his latest appointment.

According to him, his political relationship with Adebayo dates back to 2023.

Tanko said he remained committed to the pursuit of good governance, justice, equity, national unity and a more prosperous Nigeria.

His appointment marks another development in his political journey, having played a prominent role in Obi’s 2023 presidential campaign and the mobilisation of supporters through the Obidient Movement.

In September 2024, Obi appointed him National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement worldwide following a consensus arrangement to zone the position to Northern Nigeria.

Before then, Tanko had served as Obi’s spokesman and media director of the defunct Labour Party Presidential Campaign Organisation.

He was also chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council in 2015 before joining the National Conscience Party, under which he contested the 2019 presidential election.

On October 1, 2026, Obi announced Tanko’s removal as National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement and appointed him as his Political Adviser for Northern Nigeria ahead of the 2027 elections.

Although Tanko publicly expressed appreciation to Obi and members of the movement when he accepted the new role, subsequent reports from his camp suggested dissatisfaction among some supporters, who viewed the reassignment as a demotion after years of loyalty to the former Anambra State governor.

His departure also follows the exit of another former Obi loyalist, Nana Kazaure, who left the NDC presidential candidate’s camp to join the campaign team of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.

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