2027: NDC State Chairmen Reject Obi-Kwankwaso Movement’s Parallel Structures

2027: NDC State Chairmen Reject Obi-Kwankwaso Movement’s Parallel Structures

State chairmen of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) have rejected the creation of parallel political structures by the Obi-Kwankwaso Movement (OK Movement) ahead of the 2027 general elections, insisting that support groups should not take over functions reserved for the political party.

The position comes amid an ongoing disagreement between the NDC and the OK Movement over the organisation of the campaign for the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and his running mate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

The dispute began after the OK Movement unveiled a 59-member Presidential Campaign Council on September 17. The structure included zonal and state coordinators as well as directors responsible for mobilisation, women’s affairs, strategy, security, legal affairs and other areas.

The movement named John Ughulu as Director-General of the campaign council and Saadatu Sani as secretary.

The NDC subsequently dissociated itself from the council, saying it was not authorised or constituted by the party. National Chairman Moses Cleopas said the public should disregard the structure and stressed that only the party’s appropriate organs could constitute or announce an official NDC campaign council.

READ ALSO:

• Abuja Police Arrest Woman, Two Hotel Workers Over Man’s Body Dumped Under Bridge
• Bauchi Police Arrest 26-Year-Old Man Over Rape Of 50-Year-Old Woman
• 2027: Lawal Challenges Wike To Clarify Allegiance Over Rainbow Coalition

The disagreement deepened after the OK Movement insisted that it was an independent political organisation with its own leadership, structures and internal processes.

The movement also said it would not collapse or surrender its national, state, local government and ward structures to the NDC.

However, NDC leaders have maintained that support groups can mobilise for the party’s candidates but should not establish structures that perform the functions of the political party or its official campaign organisation.

NDC National Leader Seriake Dickson has said support groups should complement the party rather than compete with it or operate as parallel structures.

The position has also received a response from Obi himself.

Obi, speaking on Arise TV’s Prime Time, said the NDC was the political party to which he and his supporters belonged, while the OK Movement, Obidient groups and Kwankwasiyya should operate as support groups.

He also said the creation of a presidential campaign council by a support group was not appropriate and disclosed that he had not been consulted before the OK Movement announced its 59-member council.

Despite the disagreement, the NDC has taken steps towards establishing its own official campaign machinery.

The party previously gave Obi and Kwankwaso authority to nominate key officials of the NDC Presidential Campaign Council, including the Director-General, Deputy Director-General for the North, campaign spokesman, deputy spokesman, Head of New Media and finance officials, in consultation with the party leadership.

The latest disagreement therefore centres on the distinction between the official NDC campaign structure and independent support organisations backing the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket.

While NDC state chairmen have insisted on the authority of the party’s structures, the OK Movement continues to maintain that it has the right to retain its own organisational framework.

The parties and support groups have not indicated that the dispute has affected the candidacy of Obi and Kwankwaso, but the disagreement has become a prominent issue in the organisation of the 2027 opposition campaign.

2027: NDC State Chairmen Reject Obi-Kwankwaso Movement’s Parallel Structures