The camps of the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, and his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, have dismissed reports of a brewing power struggle among their supporters over the composition of the party’s proposed 2027 presidential campaign council.
This followed claims that loyalists of the two politicians were lobbying for strategic positions in the campaign structure ahead of the August 19 commencement of the presidential and National Assembly campaigns. Nigerian current events
It was learnt that consultations over the proposed council were generating tension among stakeholders.
However, officials from both camps and the NDC leadership rejected the claims, maintaining that consultations were still ongoing and that no final list of members had been released.
Spokesman for the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Habibu Muhammed, described reports of infighting as speculative, insisting that there was no struggle over the proposed campaign council.
“That is speculation. There is no power tussle anywhere or infighting over who makes the NDC presidential campaign council,” Muhammed said.
He explained that the party leadership, Obi, Kwankwaso and other stakeholders were still consulting on the structure and membership of the council.
“The party, the presidential candidate and other stakeholders are actually collecting details and working on them. I believe once everything is concluded officially, the membership list will be released,” he said.
Muhammed said the delay was not unusual, noting that other major political parties were yet to unveil their campaign structures ahead of the 2027 elections.
He also disclosed that the NDC was considering how to coordinate the activities of various support groups that had emerged around the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket.
“There are also several support groups springing up in the party. We think the best way is for us to have maybe a directorate or somewhere they will also be interconnected instead of allowing people to just be doing things that spring out of control,” he said.
The Kwankwasiyya spokesman further dismissed suggestions that party members were scrambling for financially attractive positions in the campaign council.
The campaign council is a call for service, so I don’t think people will kill themselves over what role to play if truly they want the party to win the election and our principals to be up there,” he said.
Similarly, the NDC Lagos Central senatorial candidate and Kwankwaso spokesman, Ladipo Johnson, questioned the basis for the alleged agitation when the council had yet to be constituted.
“I am wondering how some persons will be aggrieved over an NDC list that hasn’t been compiled yet,” Johnson said.
“Shouldn’t they wait for the list to be out to confirm whether they make the team or not before agitation?”
Johnson added that candidates contesting elective positions under the party would be expected to campaign for the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket regardless of whether they secured positions on the national campaign council.
Muhammed also explained that the recently established reconciliation committee should not be interpreted as evidence of a crisis between supporters of Obi and Kwankwaso.
He said the committee was established to address grievances arising from the party’s primaries and ensure that aspirants who failed to secure tickets remained committed to the NDC.
“That one is also part of the move by the party to make sure that those that have lost in the primary elections or who could not emerge as the candidates of the party were persuaded to be able to feel that they are part of the party,” he said.
According to him, the party was still conducting final consultations before announcing the campaign council and its Director-General.
The National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, Yunusa Tanko, similarly urged supporters to approach the campaign structure as an avenue for service rather than personal advancement.
“For us in the Obidient Movement, it’s still about service. If I’m worthy to serve in a particular place, I serve. If I’m not worthy to serve in a particular place, I will leave it so that somebody else, who is better, can come and serve,” Tanko said.
Director-General of the OK Movement, John Ughulu, acknowledged that disagreements could occur during preparations for major elections but said his organisation would not interfere in the party’s internal arrangements.
“We are waiting for the leaders to decide, and we wouldn’t like to dabble in the party affairs. We are more interested in supporting and campaigning for our principals,” he said.
The NDC National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, also dismissed the reports of a struggle for positions.
“That is not true,” he said, adding that the party leadership was consulting relevant stakeholders to produce a broad-based campaign council.
“The party leadership is engaged in consultation with all relevant stakeholders with a view to constituting a broad campaign council,” Director said.
Meanwhile, Obi and Kwankwaso on Monday held a strategic meeting with the party’s governorship candidates from the North-East and North-West as part of preparations for the 2027 general elections.
The meeting, held at Kwankwaso’s residence in Maitama, Abuja, focused on strengthening the party’s electoral preparations and developing coordinated strategies ahead of the polls.
Among those in attendance were the NDC governorship candidates for Bauchi, Sokoto and Borno states—Barrister Ibrahim Muhammad Kashim, Dr Shamsu Aliyu and retired Admiral Sunusi Sir Kashim Ibrahim, respectively.