ABUJA — Fresh operational friction has flared up within the opposition Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as party executives and independent support groups backing the joint 2027 presidential ticket of Peter Obi and Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso lock horns over party supremacy and the registration of campaign structures.
The dispute intensified on Monday, September 28, 2026, following the NDC leadership’s decision to launch a mandatory central registration drive for all support groups—a move aimed at asserting institutional control over the 2027 presidential campaign architecture.
The directive has met fierce pushback from key grassroots outfits—including the Kwankwasiyya movement and factions of the Obidient Movement operating under the Obi-Kwankwaso (OK) Movement umbrella—who insist on maintaining independent operational identity.
Party Supremacy vs. Grassroots Autonomy
The conflict underscores growing structural tensions within the newly consolidated opposition platform:
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NDC Leadership Position: National Leader of the NDC and former Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, disowned a 59-member presidential campaign council recently constituted by the OK Movement. Dickson declared it “unheard of and nonsensical” for support groups to create parallel campaign councils or compete for supremacy with the sponsoring political party, insisting all structures must align under official party organs.
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Support Groups’ Pushback: Representatives of the Kwankwasiyya movement argued that grassroots formations have historically operated independently of formal party bureaucracies. They maintained that millions of voters in strongholds like Kano align directly with individual candidates rather than party platforms, warning that rigid party enforcement could alienate non-partisan supporters.
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State Chairmen’s Grievance: NDC state chairmen—particularly across South-East and North-West chapters—have expressed frustration over being sidelined by the OK Movement since its integration into the party. Anambra State NDC executives alleged that support group leaders had bypassed established ward and local government party structures in ongoing voter mobilization efforts.
Calls for Restraint and Strategic Alignment
In an effort to manage the widening rift, the National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, Dr. Yunusa Tanko, appealed for calm and unified focus, reminding all factions that internal squabbling only benefits the ruling APC.
“The party is the statutory vehicle on which our principal is running,” Tanko stated. “We must do away with unnecessary arguments over structure and focus on the ultimate goal: ensuring Peter Obi and the ticket win the 2027 presidential election. Anything legitimate that helps us achieve that victory is welcome, but we must avoid distractions created to cause disharmony.”
