The emerging political alliance around Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso has recorded fresh tension after the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) moved to register support groups backing its 2027 presidential ticket.
The disagreement centres on whether groups supporting the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket should operate independently or come under structures controlled by the NDC.
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 said the registration was free and warned its state chapters against collecting money from groups seeking registration.
However, the Obi-Kwankwaso Movement rejected the arrangement, maintaining that it is an independent political organisation and should retain control over its own structure.
John Ughulu, Director-General of the OK Movement, argued that the movement does not require approval from the NDC to manage its internal affairs.
He said the group would resist any attempt to undermine, appropriate or dissolve its organisational structure, while acknowledging the NDC’s right to establish and manage its own campaign structures.
The Kwankwassiya Movement, however, adopted a more conciliatory position.
Its spokesman, Habibu Muhammed, described the disagreement as part of the process of the NDC developing as a new political party. He called for an arrangement that would allow different support groups to maintain their independence while working towards the same electoral objective.
According to him, the Kwankwassiya and Obidient movements have historically maintained structures independent of political parties, despite their political support for candidates.
He also pointed to support groups associated with the ruling All Progressives Congress, arguing that some operate independently without being formally controlled by the party.
Meanwhile, the National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, Yunusa Tanko, urged the various groups to avoid disputes that could distract from the 2027 presidential contest.
Tanko described the NDC as the political platform on which Obi is contesting and called on supporters to concentrate on helping the former Anambra State governor secure the presidency.
The dispute comes as political realignments intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections, with the NDC seeking to build its organisational structures while existing support movements maintain their independent identities.
The development highlights the organisational tensions that can emerge when established political movements and support groups attempt to operate within a newly formed party structure.
