NDC and the battle within – Daily Trust

By Hussein Yahaya, Abuja; Sani Ibrahim Paki & Salim Umar Ibrahim, Kano

With 81 days to the January 16, 2027 presidential elections, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) is enmeshed in a contemporary disaster over the composition of its presidential marketing campaign council.

The NDC on Sunday unveiled its nationwide marketing campaign council, appointing Ibrahim Abdulkarim as its Director-General and the NDC National Secretary, Ikenna Enekweizu, as the council’s secretary.

Under the construction, the NDC National Leader, Senator Seriake Dickson, will function the chairman of the council; the presidential candidate, Peter Obi, will function co-chairman; Senator Cleopas Moses Zuwoghe (NDC National Chairman) is the vice-chairman, whereas Rabiu Kwankwaso, the occasion’s vice-presidential candidate, is the co-vice chairman.

The council additionally options outstanding figures together with former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, heading the National Advisory Council, former Deputy Senate President Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, Pat Utomi, and Buba Galadima.

Daily Trust studies that no sooner had the NDC unveiled its council than the OK (Obi-Kwankwaso) Movement launched an assault on the occasion, saying the checklist casts severe doubt on the occasion’s readiness for the upcoming normal elections.

Analyst say for the NDC to get its acts proper forward of the elections, it should clearly outline the extent of how the diehard supporters of their presidential and vice presidential candidates might affect choices.

In an announcement issued in Abuja, Director-General of the OK Movement, John Ughulu, criticised the NDC management for dragging its toes in mobilising its electoral equipment, warning that political ambition with out ground-level coordination portends defeat.

“With less than three months until the general elections, they are only just announcing their Presidential Campaign Council,” Ughulu mentioned. “What exactly have they been doing all this time? Where is the structure? Where is the strategy? Where is the machinery required to prosecute a serious national election?”

Taking a jab at the composition of the marketing campaign checklist, Ughulu boasted that the OK Movement had already accomplished the heavy lifting required for victory, predicting that the occasion elite would quickly search help.

The contemporary wave of criticism underlines a widening rift between the NDC management and the OK Movement over management and marketing campaign technique for Obi and his working mate, Kwankwaso.

The OK Movement had, in September, unveiled a 59-member Presidential Campaign Council comprising zonal and state coordinators, in addition to administrators overseeing numerous points of the marketing campaign, however the occasion dissociated itself from the checklist, saying a help group didn’t have the proper to represent a marketing campaign council for the occasion.

The resultant friction in the inside workings of the occasion is but to abate, with the motion objecting to the naming of a nationwide marketing campaign council by the occasion on Monday.

Names of outstanding members of the motion had been omitted from the council, together with that of Ughulu and the OK Movement’s community of state, native authorities and ward coordinators.

Why the rift persists

The contemporary wave of criticism, occasion members say, exposes a widening chasm between the NDC management and the OK Movement.

The exclusion of the OK Movement management from the council is linked to the bitter dispute over the motion’s choice to ascertain its personal unbiased presidential marketing campaign council.

The transfer was beforehand dismissed by the chief of the occasion, Dickson, as “unheard of” and “nonsensical,” with the occasion insisting that help teams should complement official occasion constructions relatively than run parallel operations.

Despite the friction, Ughulu remained defiant, asserting that the occasion’s official equipment can not bypass the grassroots networks constructed by the motion.

“The funny part of this list is that 90 per cent of the people on it will still come knocking on the doors of the OK Movement to beg for the very structure they have failed to build themselves!” He added.

Reinforcing the group’s independence, Ughulu asserted that the OK Movement would by no means accept being a ceremonial help outfit.

He emphasised that the motion’s true power rests in its formidable organisational capability and unwavering dedication to the Obi-Kwankwaso presidential mandate.

“Leadership is not about who makes the loudest noise. Leadership is about who prepares, organises, builds, and delivers when it matters most,” Ughulu declared. “The OK Movement is ready. The question is: are they? Nigeria will be OK.”

Dickson had maintained that the NDC would work with help teams however anticipated them to perform within their correct roles.

Ughulu, nevertheless, insisted that the OK Movement is an unbiased political organisation, not merely a standard help group, and wouldn’t give up its nationwide, state, native authorities and ward constructions to the NDC or every other organisation.

The OK Movement director-general argued that elections are received by means of sustained grassroots mobilisation, strategic planning and efficient coordination relatively than outstanding names on marketing campaign councils.

“Elections are not won by titles, press releases, political noise, or the number of big names on a campaign council. Elections are won through grassroots mobilisation, effective coordination, strategic planning, committed people, and a well-established structure that reaches every polling unit,” he mentioned.

The politician maintained that the motion had recognised the significance of grassroots organisation lengthy earlier than the electioneering season and was higher ready to mobilise voters.

With the appointment of Babachir Lawal to the marketing campaign council, there are fears that it might escalate the rising friction in the Adamawa chapter of the NDC following his rejection by the governorship candidate of the occasion, Aisha Binani and different occasion candidates over his appointment as the occasion’s North-East chief final month.

Though the occasion promised to name the two for a reconciliation assembly, it’s not clear at press time how far it has gone on this regard.

Ossai Director, the occasion’s Publicity Secretary, didn’t reply to calls put throughout to him on the newest stand of the OK Movement.

However, a chieftain of the occasion instructed our correspondent that the motion went too far by establishing a presidential marketing campaign council even earlier than the political occasion.

“A help occasion should not go that far, however the occasion management ought to have additionally included a few of the leaders of the motion in the NDC marketing campaign council in the spirit of reconciliation.

“This, the occasion didn’t do and it shouldn’t be so,’’ he mentioned.

The OK Movement was formally unveiled in Abuja on April 20, 2026, by supporters of Obi and Kwankwaso forward of the 2027 normal elections. Its emergence adopted rising uncertainty within the opposition coalition, notably over the alternative of a presidential candidate able to difficult President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The organisers described it as a coalition bringing collectively supporters of the Obidient Movement, Kwankwasiyya, the NNPP and the African Democratic Congress (ADC). Justin Ijeh was named its National Publicity Secretary, whereas the group introduced plans to ascertain constructions throughout Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

The preliminary concept was to construct a typical political platform able to combining Obi’s reform-oriented enchantment with Kwankwaso’s grassroots political equipment.

Prof Ochefu rejects NDC appointment

Professor of Economic History and Strategic Studies at Rev. Fr. Moses Orshio Adasu University, Makurdi, Prof. Yakubu Ochefu, has rejected his purported appointment to the National Campaign Council of the NDC, clarifying that he’s not a member of the political occasion.

Ochefu, in an announcement, mentioned he was neither consulted earlier than the inclusion of his title in the marketing campaign checklist circulating on social media nor did he grant consent for the appointment.

The educational—who serves as National Chairman of the Association of Nigerian Universities Alumni (ANUA) and President-General of Ochetoha Okay’Idoma—emphasised that his management roles require strict non-partisanship, provided that the memberships of each organisations span numerous political affiliations.

He mentioned, “My consideration has been drawn to an inventory circulating on social media, titled ‘Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) National Campaign Council’, which names me as a member of its National Campaign Caucus.

“I want to inform the public that I’m not a member of the NDC and have by no means been. I used to be not consulted earlier than my title was included, nor did I give consent. I’ve written to the Chairman of the Council to say no the appointment and to request that my title be withdrawn and a revised checklist printed.

“As National Chairman of the Association of Nigerian Universities Alumni, ANUA, and President-General of Ochetoha Okay’Idoma, I lead organisations whose members reduce throughout all political events. These workplaces require me to stay non-partisan, and I intend to honour that obligation.

“I thank all who reached out for clarification, and ask that you disregard the list insofar as it concerns me.”

‘Campaign council crisis may affect election coordination’

A political analyst and lecturer at the Kano State College of Arts, Science and Remedial Studies, Dr Kabiru Sa’idu Sufi, warned that the disaster over the composition of the NDC Presidential Campaign Council might undermine coordination and effectiveness of the occasion’s marketing campaign forward of the 2027 elections.

He mentioned the disagreement between the occasion management and the presidential camp might end in parallel marketing campaign constructions working with out correct coordination.

According to him, there’s a chance that each the presidential staff and the occasion would run separate marketing campaign coordination mechanisms.

“If you look at the composition of the campaign itself, there is a possibility that we will have parallel coordination. While the presidential team is having its own coordination, the party may also be having its own coordination,” he mentioned.

He mentioned the absence of synergy between the two camps might have an effect on the organisation of campaigns.

“For now, the occasion has rejected the composition of their very own candidates, and the presidential staff has additionally rejected the composition of the occasion’s marketing campaign council.

“So, I think there may be no synergy, there may be no coordination, and as such, it may affect the organisation of the campaign,” he added.

The analyst described the disagreement as a mirrored image of the occasion’s incapacity to completely unite after the emergence of its presidential candidate.

He mentioned the growth was not solely stunning, arguing that comparable disputes had occurred in earlier political platforms related to Obi, the Labour Party.

“I think it shows that the party has not been able to close ranks since the emergence of the presidential flag bearer. It is not something entirely new and we have seen similar situations in the past,” he mentioned.

Sufi famous that the NDC ought to have discovered from earlier experiences and addressed inside variations earlier than the marketing campaign season.

“But it seems no lesson was learned, and what we are seeing now is a repeat of some of the issues that affected campaign coordination in previous elections,” he mentioned.

On whether or not reconciliation between the occasion and the OK Movement was nonetheless doable, the analyst expressed optimism, saying dialogue remained the most suitable choice.

“If they can come together and sort out their differences, it will be better for them and they may be able to achieve something positive,” he mentioned.

He, nevertheless, cautioned that failure to resolve the dispute might proceed to hamper efficient coordination of marketing campaign actions.

Sufi dismissed strategies that exterior forces could be influencing the disaster, insisting that the downside stemmed largely from inside misunderstanding.

“I don’t think there is any external influence. It does not seem as if either of the sides is being controlled from outside. I think it is simply a matter of lack of synergy and cooperation, and the issue is continuing along that line,” he mentioned.

NDC declares N8.53bn income

Meanwhile, the occasion has revealed that it generated roughly N8.53 billion in complete inflows, expended about N2.40 billion, and retained a steadiness of roughly N6.13 billion to fund its ongoing political operations.

Presenting the report, the NDC National Treasurer, Dr. Peter Onigah, said that the management had exercised strict monetary self-discipline to safeguard assets entrusted to the occasion.

Onigah defined that the occasion’s monetary operations had been guided by skilled occasion officers, recommendation from nationwide leaders, and the National Working Committee (NWC).

Onigah appealed to occasion members and the normal public for sustained monetary backing, noting that the NDC remains to be establishing its organisational constructions and has not secured energy at any authorities stage.

“As a new party, we don’t have people in government yet. All of us are outside the government. So we need to contribute and ensure that our party will prevail and achieve the desired objectives,” he added.

Reacting to the presentation, Senator Victor Umeh recommended the occasion’s management for transparency and for sustaining a N6.13 billion steadiness.

Who is NDC DG, Ibrahim Hussain Abdulkarim?

With the launch of the NDC marketing campaign checklist forward of the 2027 normal elections, all eyes are on Alhaji Ibrahim Hussain Abdulkarim, who was appointed as the Director-General of the occasion’s presidential marketing campaign council.

Abdulkarim is described as a businessman, public-sector advisor and political strategist, representing a contemporary, data-driven method to political mobilisation in Nigeria.

Born on October 14, 1976, in Sokoto State to the household of Alhaji Hussain Abdulkarim, he earned a Bachelor of Science diploma in Geography at Bayero University, Kano (BUK). He later specialised in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), spatial information administration, and technology-driven growth options.

He serves as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of EasyGIS Nigeria Limited, a pioneering know-how agency specializing in Geographic Information Systems, information administration, info techniques structure, and enterprise course of enchancment.

Between 2019 and 2021, he served as the Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Efficient Land Administration, Urban Planning and Development, and Improving Revenue Generation and Collection in the Nasarawa State Ministry of Land and Urban Development.