NDC: One ticket, two visions
NDC: One ticket, two visions
The presidential candidate of the opposition Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi and his running mate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso appear to have divergent views on some issues ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Obi and Kwankwaso hold different views on fuel subsidy removal and establishment of state police.
Daily Trust reports that Obi supports the removal of the subsidy but believes it should have been removed in a structured and phased manner, noting that the alleged mismanagement of subsidy savings should not have been an excuse for restoring it.
Speaking at the Nigerian Bar Association conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, recently, Obi maintained that he did not support a return to the fuel subsidy era.
“I subscribe and maintain that you need to remove the subsidy. Mismanagement of the proceeds shouldn’t be the reason for not removing it. What we should have done is that when we remove subsidy, we would have given the people an alternative usage for the subsidy. What we have today is that the removal and attendant resources being recovered are also being mismanaged and stolen,” Obi had said.
But Kwankwaso said he supported the reintroduction of the subsidy in a modified form.
In a TV interview on Tuesday, the NDC vice-presidential candidate stated that an Obi-led government would bring back subsidy “in our own way.”
Asked whether it would be difficult for the NDC to campaign in the North-West, where there is support for the return of subsidy, Kwankwaso said, “No, no, no, look. We are bringing subsidy in our own way.”
“Of course, there are many ways. One, I can tell you: now we have a refinery built by a businessman, and I’m sure more refineries would be built.
“Now, if individuals in this country could build refineries, I see no reason why the government, under certain circumstances, will not build a refinery or refineries to the extent that we achieve the minimum requirement.
“What is the minimum requirement? The minimum requirement is for the people across the country to go to the filling stations and buy fuel at a reasonable price.
“We, in the NDC, will do whatever it takes, really, to put the price of oil down,” he said.
The position of the NDC presidential candidate and his running mate also differed on state police.
Obi had in a statement on his X handle, commended the State Police Bill, saying it represents a major legislative milestone in Nigeria’s quest to reform its policing architecture, but disagreed with the manner in which the legislation was processed.
He said the absence of broad public consultation and the speed with which the legislation was passed had created widespread suspicion about the motives behind the initiative.
Obi said, “The recent passage of the State Police Bill by the National Assembly marks a significant legislative milestone in addressing a long-standing demand of the Nigerian people.
Also, in an interview with Arise Television, Obi, when asked if he believes in state police, retorted: ‘’Yes I believe in state police. We will do whatever it takes to secure the country.”
But the NDC vice-presidential candidate, in the Tuesday interview, rejected the creation of state police in Nigeria saying the increasing calls for it were due to the inability of the current federal policing system to effectively tackle the country’s security challenges.
Kwankwaso insisted that the idea of state police emerged because of what he described as the failure of the federal or national police to effectively deal with insecurity.
He said, “I have always been against state police, and I can tell you the issue of state police came because of the failure of the federal or national police. I think it’s one of the big mistakes that government is doing.
NDC, OK Movement rift
Also, the brewing tension between the hierarchy of the NDC and grassroots volunteers under the auspices of the Obi-Kwankwaso (OK) Movement has spilled into the open after the executive leadership of the party disowned a 59-member Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) unveiled by the movement.
The move marks the first major public battle over political supremacy, organisational control and strategy between the party platform and the high-profile support group backing the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket.
Analysts describe the disagreement within the party over the structure of its campaign machinery as “untimely” and warned the crisis could have wider implications for the opposition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The crisis escalated when the OK Movement, through its National Secretary Saadatu Sani, announced the formation of an independent campaign machinery led by the movement’s National Director-General, John Ughulu, as Director-General of the PCC. The announcement was swiftly rebuffed by the party hierarchy.
In a counter-statement titled “Re: Purported OK Movement PCC Announcement,” the NDC National Chairman, Senator Cleopas Moses, officially disavowed the movement’s setup, insisting that no campaign structure could be unveiled without formal approval from the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).
Adding weight to the party’s stance, the NDC National Leader Senator Seriake Dickson cautioned support groups against setting up alternative organs that compete with official structures.
While acknowledging the importance of support groups in grassroots mobilisation, Dickson insisted that all campaign activities must be channeled through formal party machinery.
“Support groups should work with the political party and its campaign structures rather than compete with them during the electioneering process,” Dickson noted, reiterating that party supremacy remains non-negotiable.
Why NDC, OK Movement are at loggerheads
Behind the public statements lies a fundamental conflict between traditional party governance and organic political mobilisation.
Party insiders revealed that the NDC leaders fear being sidelined by the support group’s assertive structure.
An NDC chieftain, who spoke on condition of anonymity, outlined the core conflict.
“The friction rests on organizational independence versus party supremacy. The OK Movement maintains it is a volunteer-driven force that will not be absorbed or subordinated into the NDC machinery. Conversely, the NDC views political authority through constitutional structures. Allowing parallel campaign councils creates competing power centers that undermine party discipline,” the source said.
The feud is further complicated by leadership disputes around Ughulu. While state and ward coordinators of the OK Movement have threatened mass withdrawal if Ughulu is removed, NDC leaders have resisted his authority, citing unresolved disciplinary proceedings over past primary disputes in Lagos.
Campaign council list ‘nonsensical’ – Dickson
The NDC national leader, Dickson, also criticised the OK Movement over the controversy surrounding the 59-member presidential campaign council list, describing the group’s actions as “nonsensical.”
Dickson addressed the issue on Tuesday following a meeting of NDC stakeholders in Abuja, where Babachir Lawal, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), officially joined the party.
Rejecting the movement’s stance, Dickson emphasised that support groups must understand their boundaries and avoid attempting to rival the party apparatus.
“Support groups don’t compete with the political party that is sponsoring candidates. Support groups don’t compete for supremacy and space. They provide grassroots support and mobilisation. They don’t convert themselves to become critics of the political party sponsored. They don’t attack the political party sponsored,” he said.
Dickson noted that while support groups exist across all political platforms, including the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), none had attempted to usurp party functions.
“None of them will dare say they are setting up a presidential campaign council. It is unheard of. Nonsensical. And those who had a duty to educate and call people to order should do so,” he added.
Despite the reprimand, the NDC leader affirmed that the party recognises the value of grassroot support groups and remains open to collaborating with them, noting that he has previously held constructive meetings with Obedient groups.
Movement declares independence from party
Refusing to back down, Ughulu, in a statement on Wednesday, asserted that the movement remains an autonomous entity that will neither merge into the NDC nor surrender its nationwide structures.
“The OK Movement is an independent political organisation, not a support group created as an appendage of any political party. Its existence and internal administration are not subject to the internal management of the NDC. Political cooperation between the OK Movement and the NDC should be understood as collaboration rather than organizational subordination,” Ughulu declared.
He maintained that the movement is self-funded by its members and retains the right to design its own campaign strategy and field operations. While affirming that the group does not claim supremacy over the NDC, he warned against attempts to dissolve or hijack its network.
“No individual can simply declare that structure dissolved, transferred, or absorbed without the authority of the movement’s legitimate organs,” he warned.
He stressed that the movement operates through its own established nationwide structures across national, state, local government, and ward levels, adding that these assets would neither be surrendered, collapsed, nor merged into the NDC or any other political party.
“The movement’s structures were built through the commitment of thousands of coordinators across the country over time. No individual can simply declare that structure dissolved, transferred, or absorbed without the authority of the movement’s legitimate organs,” Ughulu said.
Reaffirming the group’s long-term strategy, Ughulu stated that the OK Movement remains united, lawful and fully committed to advancing the Obi-Kwankwaso presidential campaign through the 2027 general elections.
Rift may affect NDC’s chances at polls – Analysts
A Kano-based political analyst, Mustapha Isa, said the OK Movement operates outside the formal party structure and enjoys the blessings of both Obi and Kwankwaso because of its organisational strength and ability to mobilise resources more pragmatically than many party organs.
He noted that the recent rift between the NDC and the movement over the campaign council reflects a lack of synergy and highlights the group’s independence, which the party may see as a threat.
“Traditionally, what obtains in Nigerian politics is for the party to inaugurate its campaign council and assign roles to support groups. This is usually done under a coordinator or director of support groups, who harmonises their activities, just like the APC did,” Isa said.
The analyst maintained that the NDC was right to dissociate itself from the campaign council list released by the movement, warning that recognising it could encourage other support groups to set up parallel councils, thereby creating a cumbersome structure for the party to manage.
He added that the OK Movement, because of its allegiance to the candidates, believes the party cannot effectively manage campaigns or safeguard their mandate.
Isa advised that the way forward is for the party to accommodate the movement within its proposed campaign council and address its grievances, so that its wide network can be deployed during electioneering.
He urged Obi and Kwankwaso to personally intervene in resolving the feud before it worsens.
Speaking on the issue, a political analyst, Dr Ayinde Mosadi, said the disagreement within the NDC over the structure of its campaign machinery should be viewed beyond the immediate internal wrangling.
He warned that the crisis could have wider implications for the opposition ahead of the 2027 general election.
Mosadi said the NDC’s present crisis was partly rooted in the history of the party and the manner in which it had evolved with the entry of prominent political figures.
According to him, the party was initially a relatively small political platform that welcomed prominent figures such as Obi and Kwankwaso because of their political strength and the desire to win the election.
A lecturer at the Department of Political Science, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, Idowu Ajayi, warned that the ongoing rift between the NDC and the OK Movement could affect the party’s performance in the 2027 general election if not urgently resolved.
Ajayi said the manner in which the campaign committee was constituted had the potential to create divisions within the political platform, particularly if the various groups involved were not adequately carried along.
He said the disagreement should not be treated as an ordinary misunderstanding because it could affect internal coordination, grassroots mobilisation and the party’s ability to present a common message to the electorate.
According to him, any political organisation preparing for a general election requires a clearly defined structure in which the roles of the party, campaign organisation and support groups are understood by all stakeholders.
“The way the campaign committee was constituted is capable of creating misunderstanding among the different interests within the movement. If the issue is not properly managed, it could affect the performance of the party during the general election,” he said.
Ajayi explained that the major issue appeared to be the relationship between the authority of the political party and the independent identity of the OK Movement and other support organisations associated with the Obi-Kwankwaso political project.
He said while the party would want to maintain control over its official structures and candidates, the support movements would also expect recognition of their structures and contributions.
He warned that failure to resolve the differences could create confusion among supporters at the grassroots, particularly over who is responsible for mobilisation, campaign activities and communication.
“When supporters begin to receive different directives from different structures, it can affect coordination. At the ward and polling-unit levels, there must be clarity about who is responsible for what,” Ajayi said.
The political scientist also noted that continued public exchanges between the NDC and the OK Movement could shift attention away from the party’s candidates, policies and campaign message, while prolonged disagreement could deepen mistrust among the different interests within the political platform.
We’re awaiting nominations to PCC from Obi, Kwankwaso – NDC
Meanwhile, the NDC has ceded the privilege to nominate key members of the party’s Presidential Campaign Council to Obi and Kwankwaso.
The party said the duo would nominate the Director-General, Deputy Director-General (North), campaign spokesman, deputy spokesman, Head of New Media, Finance Director, Deputy Finance Director and other officials of the council in consultation with the party leadership.
The NDC stated this in a statement on Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, following consultations between Obi, Kwankwaso and the party’s national leadership.
Director said the arrangement was designed to promote inclusiveness and cohesion in the campaign structure.
The spokesman explained that the organogram of the campaign council had been prepared since August and submitted to Obi and Kwankwaso for their input, while nominations had also been received from stakeholders nationwide.
He said, “The party leadership has given a free hand to the presidential candidate and his running mate to make nominations.”
The NDC said it would announce and inaugurate the council after receiving the candidates’ inputs.
“We also appeal to all our candidates at all levels to restrain their supporters and support groups to focus on the need to win elections. There are no battles to fight within the NDC. The common opponent to defeat is the ruling APC.
“We are committed as a party. The party has done its own and is ready to do more. The candidates and their supporters are encouraged to do the same,” he stated.
