The vice presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (National Democratic Congress (NDC)), Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has reportedly threatened to dump the party following the rejection and subsequent replacement of the Kano State candidates’ list submitted by his Kwankwasiyya bloc.
Hobnob news Nigeria reports that the internal crisis within the party escalated after the Kano State chapter of the NDC altered the original list to enforce a strict 60/40 power-sharing arrangement between the Kwankwasiyya bloc and the party’s pioneer structure.
A document signed by the Kano State NDC Chairman, Hon. Hussaini Isah Mairiga, confirmed that the adjustment was made to correct what was described as a breach of an earlier agreement on elective tickets and party positions. Under the arrangement, Kwankwaso’s camp was allocated 60 percent of slots, while the original party structure retained 40 percent.
The revised list, which was also copied to the NDC National Leader, Senator Seriake Dickson, and the North-West Zonal Chairman, replaced several Kwankwasiyya loyalists with alternative candidates across key federal and state constituencies.
For the House of Representatives tickets, the party approved Barrister Isma’il Idris Sani for Kumbotso, Nasiru Ali Ahmed for Nassarawa, Kabiru Ishaq Sa’id for Kano Municipal, Barrister Dayyabu Jamilu Ibrahim for Doguwa/Tudun Wada, Muhammad Hamisu Abubakar for Dawakin Tofa/Rimin Gado/Tofa, Ibrahim Bashir Bango for Sumaila/Takai, and Abdulmajid Isa Umar Mairigar Fata for Gwale, alongside further adjustments in State House of Assembly tickets for Dala, Tarauni, Kumbotso, Ungogo, and Dawakin Kudu.
Kano NDC spokesperson, Ibrahim Waya, disclosed that Senator Dickson had directly instructed Kwankwaso to implement the agreed sharing formula. The development has since triggered tension within the party, with Kwankwasiyya loyalists viewing the move as a setback, while pioneer members accuse the faction of attempting to dominate the state structure.
The friction comes just weeks after Kwankwaso and Peter Obi defected from the African Democratic Congress (African Democratic Congress (ADC)) to the NDC, emerging as the party’s vice-presidential and presidential flagbearers respectively for the 2027 general elections.
Recall that the NDC National Executive Committee (NEC), after its second national meeting, declared party supremacy and rejected any attempt to operate as a personality-driven movement or temporary electoral platform.
In a statement signed by National Publicity Secretary Osa Director, the party directed all affiliated support groups to operate strictly under party supervision and mandated elected officials to align with established party structures in policy and appointments.