State chairmen of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) have unanimously declared that the party, not the Obi-Kwankwaso Movement, holds final authority over campaign activities ahead of the 2027 elections. Speaking across 10 states, the chairmen said the Obidient and Kwankwasiyyah movements are support groups and have no authority to run parallel campaign structures or conduct activities without the party's approval. Their remarks followed the NDC's September 19 disavowal of a 59-member Presidential Campaign Council that the OK Movement had announced on behalf of presidential candidate Peter Obi and his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso.
Chairmen Reject Parallel Structures
The Osun State chairman, Charles Omidiji, said candidates could campaign on their own terms, but only with party clearance. "It is illegal for any candidate to go for a campaign in a particular place and there is a crisis. It is the party people will hold responsible," he said, warning that those who proceeded without party backing would do so at their own risk.
The Kano State chairman, Hussaini Meriga, added that both movements had existed before joining the NDC platform and must now operate within party rules. The Ogun State chairman, Femi Alao, said his state had already set up a framework to bring all interest groups under a common front.
Anambra Chairman Alleges Sidelining
The most serious allegation came from Anambra State, where chairman David Chukwudifu said the Obidient Movement had effectively shut out the existing party structure. "They have sidelined every one of us, including me and the 326 ward chairmen in the state," he said, adding that repeated calls to Obi to intervene had gone unanswered since the movement joined the party in May 2026.
Not all chairmen painted a troubled picture. The FCT chairman, Haruna Pai, said a meeting held in Abuja earlier in the week had resolved the disagreement between the three parties involved, and that a campaign list from the national office was expected to include all chairmen across the 36 states.
Some States Report Cooperation
In Plateau State, chairman Ndam Solomon said he created a Directorate of Support Groups and appointed the state's Obidient Movement coordinator, Jerry Bako, to lead it, placing all support groups under the same umbrella. Chairmen in Enugu, Akwa Ibom, and Niger states also said their chapters were cooperating without friction.
The OK Movement's national convener, Jackie Wayas, rejected suggestions that the group was operating outside party channels. "There is no way the movement can work in isolation. The party is our party, and our principal is in the party," Wayas said.
Call for Unity Ahead of 2027
The NDC National Vice Chairman for the South-East, Teddy Obey, urged all sides to build a common front, saying a divided campaign would not serve the party's interests ahead of the 2027 vote. Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Seriake Dickson asserted that nobody is doing the party a favour by handing the presidential ticket to Obi for the 2027 elections. Dickson stated that he could have emerged as the party's presidential flagbearer for the 2027 polls, citing his track record. He urged Obi's supporters to remain calm and avoid actions that could undermine the party.
