Former National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, Yunusa Tanko, has joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP), where he has been appointed National Coordinator of its Presidential Campaign Council ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Tanko was unveiled on Wednesday at the inauguration of the party’s Presidential Campaign Council at its national secretariat in Abuja, in the presence of members of the National Working Committee, party chieftains, stakeholders and supporters.
Also at the event were former Labour Party National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, and other prominent members of the Julius Abure-led faction of the party.
His appointment comes less than two weeks after he resigned as Political Adviser to former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, for Northern Nigeria, a position he assumed after being removed as the Obidient Movement’s National Coordinator in October.
Tanko had announced his resignation on October 30, 2026, saying he was returning to the National Consultative Front (NCFront), where he serves as co-chairman.
Speaking after his unveiling, Tanko expressed appreciation to the SDP leadership for the appointment 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 people-oriented political platform committed to defending 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.
“I express my profound gratitude and sincere appreciation to Almighty Allah for making this historic event possible. I equally thank the leadership of the Social Democratic Party for the confidence and repose in me by appointing me as the National Coordinator of the SDP Presidential Campaign Organisation for the 2027 Presidential Election,” he said.
Explaining his return to the NCFront, Tanko recalled that he assumed a leadership position in the organisation on October 18, following the death of its former co-chairman, Ghali Na’Abba, who was a former Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Na’Abba had co-chaired the organisation with Professor Pat Utomi.
Tanko said his latest appointment offered him an opportunity to return to a political platform he helped build and contribute to its mission of serving Nigerians.
“It will be recalled that this historic appointment comes on the heels of the assumption of my new role in the leadership of the National Consultative Front on the 18th of October 2026 to fill the vacuum created by the demise of the late Rt Hon Ghali Na’Abba, former Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, who co-chaired the leadership of the NCFront with Professor Pat Utomi.
“It is therefore with appreciation that I receive the invitation of the NC Front recalling me back, back to the house in which we helped to build for a new assignment that will service the Nigerian people,” he said.
The former Obidient coordinator also confirmed that he had formally resigned from Obi’s political team before accepting the SDP appointment.
He said, “I tendered my resignation on the 30th of October 2026 as the political advisor to His Excellency Mr Peter Obi, to represent Northern Nigeria.
“I have since reached out to His Excellency Mr Peter Obi and the National Leader of the National Democratic Congress, Senator Seriake Dickson, whom I must confirm did a very good job by receiving me when I was the Chairman and Coordinator of the Obidient Movement.”
Tanko further pledged to work with the NCFront leadership and Adebayo, stressing that his relationship with the SDP presidential candidate predated his new assignment.
“Therefore, I wish to accept the new role with humility and total commitment to work wholeheartedly with my compatriot in the National Consultative Front and the SDP Presidential Candidate, His Excellency, Prince Adewale Adebayo.
“This is not a mistake in history. When you go back into history, you will see my warm relationship with him way back in 2023. So this is a relationship that has long been built. In advancing our political mission to a new Nigeria that works for all, I pledge to remain consistent and committed to our unwavering belief in good governance, justice, equity, national loyalty and dedication and unwavering commitment to new Nigeria from where it is to a better and prosperous Nigeria,” he said.
Tanko’s move marks another major turn in his political career, having previously served as Obi’s spokesman and media director of the defunct Labour Party Presidential Campaign Organisation before emerging as one of the leading figures in the Obidient Movement.
In September 2024, Obi appointed him National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement worldwide following a consensus arrangement that zoned the position to Northern Nigeria.
On October 1, 2026, however, Obi announced Tanko’s removal from the position and appointed him Political Adviser for Northern Nigeria ahead of the 2027 elections.
Although Tanko publicly thanked Obi and members of the movement while accepting the new role, reports from his camp later suggested dissatisfaction among some supporters, who reportedly viewed the reassignment as a demotion after years of loyalty to the former governor.
Before his latest political realignment, Tanko served as chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council in 2015 and later joined the National Conscience Party, under which he contested the 2019 presidential election.
His departure also comes months after another former Obi loyalist, Nana Kazaure, left the NDC presidential candidate’s political camp to join the campaign team of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.
