NDC Leaders Accuse Kwankwaso of taking control of Party Structure

Two senior officials of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in the North-West have accused the party’s vice-presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, of taking control of the party structure in the region and sidelining members who are not part of the Kwankwasiyya political movement.

The allegation was made in a statement issued on Monday by the party’s North-West Vice Chairman, Mohammed Rabiu Serina, and Kano State Chairman, Hussaini Isa Mariga.

The two party leaders claimed that the situation has created tension within the NDC in Kano State and other parts of the North-West. According to them, the dispute began after Kwankwaso and his supporters joined the party and sought greater influence over its affairs in the state.

Serina and Mariga described themselves as founding members who played key roles in establishing the party before it gained official recognition. They said they were appointed into leadership positions by the party’s national leader, former Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson, before the party’s registration and later became substantive officers through congresses and the national convention.

The officials stated that they helped build the party’s structures across Kano State and the wider North-West region long before Kwankwaso’s entry into the NDC. They alleged that problems started during the state congresses when disagreements arose over the control of party structures.

According to them, the disagreement became serious enough to attract the attention of the national leadership. They said Dickson eventually intervened and facilitated discussions aimed at resolving the dispute between both sides.

The party officials explained that the discussions led to an arrangement under which the Kwankwasiyya bloc was allocated 60 percent of the party structure in Kano State, while the existing NDC members retained 40 percent. They said the agreement was reached to maintain peace and ensure cooperation between the two groups.

However, Serina and Mariga alleged that the understanding has not been fully respected. They claimed that members who are not aligned with the Kwankwasiyya movement have increasingly found it difficult to secure opportunities to contest elective positions on the party’s platform.

The officials argued that the situation has created dissatisfaction among some party members who believe the original agreement was meant to guarantee inclusion and fairness. They maintained that the NDC should remain open to all members regardless of political affiliation or background within the party.

The allegations come at a time when internal disagreements within the NDC have attracted public attention, particularly in Kano State. Recent disputes over candidate selection and the distribution of party positions have raised concerns about unity within the party ahead of future elections.

As of the time the allegations became public, there was no official response from Kwankwaso or leaders of the Kwankwasiyya movement regarding the claims. The development is expected to fuel further debate within the party as members continue discussions on leadership, representation and the implementation of existing agreements.