A fresh disagreement has emerged between the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and support groups backing its 2027 presidential ticket over the party's move to register and coordinate support organisations ahead of the election. The development has sparked resistance from the Obi-Kwankwaso Movement and Kwankwasiyya groups, who insist that their structures should remain independent despite their support for the NDC presidential ticket.
The NDC recently announced that registration of support groups would be handled exclusively by its Directorate of Support Groups at the party's national headquarters in Abuja. The party's National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, stated that the exercise was free and warned state chapters and officials against collecting fees or independently registering support groups. He said the process aimed to properly coordinate organisations working with the party ahead of the 2027 election.
However, the Director-General of the Obi-Kwankwaso Movement, John Ughulu, rejected the arrangement, saying the movement remained an independent political organisation. Ughulu stated that the movement would not allow its structure to be taken over or controlled by the party. He argued that while the NDC had the right to create and manage its own campaign structures, independent organisations also had the right to maintain their own leadership and organisational systems.
Ughulu emphasised that the OK Movement would resist any attempt to interfere with its operations. He said, "The OK Movement therefore makes it clear that we will not accept any attempt by any individual or group to undermine, appropriate, dissolve or otherwise interfere with the legitimate structure and leadership of the movement." He added that the meaning of 'independent' was straightforward and that the NDC had the right to constitute and manage its own campaign structures.
Meanwhile, spokesman of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Habibu Muhammed, called for understanding between the party and the support groups. Muhammed attributed the disagreement to the process of a new political party attempting to build its structures. He expressed optimism that at the end of the day, everybody would be on the same page and urged the party to create a structure that would allow different support groups to operate while still working toward the same political objective.
The National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, Dr Yunusa Tanko, appealed to the various groups to avoid disagreements that could distract from the 2027 election. Tanko stated that the NDC remained the platform on which Peter Obi was contesting and urged supporters to focus on the broader political objective. He added that any legitimate process that would help the party and its candidate should be supported.
The disagreement highlights the challenges of building and maintaining relationships between political parties and their support groups. The NDC's efforts to coordinate support groups ahead of the 2027 election have sparked concerns about the autonomy of these groups. As the party continues to evolve and build its structures, it remains to be seen how it will address the concerns of its support groups and ensure a smooth working relationship.
Key points
- The NDC's move to register and coordinate support groups has sparked resistance from the Obi-Kwankwaso Movement and Kwankwasiyya groups.
- The groups insist that their structures should remain independent despite their support for the NDC presidential ticket.
- The disagreement highlights the challenges of building and maintaining relationships between political parties and their support groups.