Reported by Simon Daniel Yusuph l Journalist at Weng Global
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has given its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and running mate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, authority to nominate several key officers of the party’s Presidential Campaign Council ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The party said consultations on the structure and inauguration of the council had reached an advanced stage, with Obi, Kwankwaso and other senior party leaders involved in discussions on the final composition.
The development comes days after the Obi-Kwankwaso Movement, a support organisation for the NDC presidential ticket, announced its own 59-member campaign structure, prompting the party to clarify that the movement’s structure does not constitute or replace the official NDC Presidential Campaign Council.
Obi, Kwankwaso to Nominate Principal Officers
In a statement issued by the NDC National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, the party said its leadership had given Obi and Kwankwaso a “free hand” to make nominations for several principal positions within the campaign council.
Among the positions expected to be nominated by the two candidates are the Director-General, Deputy Director-General for the North, campaign spokesman and deputy spokesman, Head of New Media, Finance Director and Deputy Finance Director.
The party said the proposed arrangement is intended to give the presidential and vice-presidential candidates a direct role in shaping the team that will coordinate their campaign activities.
According to the NDC, a comprehensive organogram for the proposed campaign structure was prepared in August and forwarded to Obi and Kwankwaso for their input.
The party also said nominations had been received from stakeholders across the country as consultations continued.
Campaign Council Inauguration Delayed
The NDC said the inauguration of the Presidential Campaign Council, initially planned for the first week of September, was postponed following Obi’s travel schedule.
The party now says the council will be announced and inaugurated after the candidates submit their remaining input and the final structure is completed.
The development places the party’s campaign machinery in a preparatory phase as political parties and candidates organise structures ahead of the 2027 elections.
The NDC has also been working on a proposed campaign timetable, although the party said funding and fundraising arrangements still need to be concluded before the timetable is finalised.
Campaign Finance Structure
The party said the Finance Director and Deputy Finance Director would work with the NDC National Treasurer in administering funds raised for the presidential campaign.
According to the NDC, funds raised for the presidential contest will be paid into a dedicated campaign account overseen by officials nominated by Obi, Kwankwaso and the National Treasurer.
The party said the arrangement is designed to meet transparency requirements and reporting obligations under Nigeria’s Electoral Act.
The emphasis on a dedicated account and defined financial responsibilities is significant because campaign financing is subject to statutory requirements governing political parties and electoral contests.
The final campaign structure is therefore expected to combine political appointments with administrative and financial mechanisms for coordinating the presidential campaign.
Separate Obi-Kwankwaso Movement Structure
The NDC’s latest announcement follows the unveiling of a 59-member campaign council by the Obi-Kwankwaso Movement on September 17.
The support group announced zonal and state coordinators covering Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, the Federal Capital Territory and the 36 states. It also named officials responsible for areas including mobilisation, women’s affairs, strategy and planning, legal affairs, security and intelligence, information technology and administration.
John Ughulu was named Director-General of the movement’s campaign council, while Saadatu Sani was listed as National Secretary.
However, the NDC subsequently distanced itself from that structure, saying it was not the official campaign council of the party.
The disagreement highlighted the distinction between an independent support organisation campaigning for a party’s candidates and the formal campaign structure established by the political party itself. The NDC maintained that its official Presidential Campaign Council would be constituted through the party’s authorised processes.
The OK Movement, meanwhile, has maintained that it is an independent political organisation with its own leadership and internal structure, while continuing to support the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket.
NDC Says Candidates Should Focus on Campaign
In its latest statement, the NDC also urged its candidates and support groups to avoid internal disputes and concentrate on preparations for the 2027 election.
The party said it wants its candidates and associated political structures to operate within the party’s framework while working towards a coordinated national campaign.
The statement follows the recent disagreement over the authority of the OK Movement to announce a campaign council bearing the name of the presidential ticket.
The competing positions have not prevented the NDC from continuing consultations on its own official campaign structure.
Party Agents Also Being Organised
The NDC has begun preparations for the deployment of party agents for the 2027 elections.
The party said its state and local government chairmen had been directed to convene meetings with candidates and stakeholders within two weeks to prepare lists of party agents for the National Assembly elections and for governorship and State Assembly elections.
The lists are expected to be reviewed and ratified by the party leadership before agents receive training.
According to the NDC, the party-agent process will involve its national leadership as well as representatives associated with the Obidient and Kwankwasiyya movements.
The preparations indicate that the party is working on campaign organisation beyond the presidential level, including election-day structures across the country.
Political Context
Obi and Kwankwaso formally joined the NDC in May 2026, after which the party adopted the former Anambra State governor as its presidential candidate and Kwankwaso as his running mate for the 2027 election.
Their joint ticket has brought together political networks associated with both politicians as the NDC seeks to build a nationwide campaign organisation.
The party’s latest decision gives the two candidates a defined role in selecting some of the senior personnel who will manage the presidential campaign.
At the same time, the distinction between the official NDC campaign council and independent support organisations remains important. The recent dispute involving the OK Movement shows that the boundaries between party structures and external campaign groups will need to be clearly defined as the election approaches.
What Happens Next
The immediate next step is the completion and approval of the NDC Presidential Campaign Council.
Obi and Kwankwaso are expected to submit their remaining nominations and input, after which the party says it will announce and inaugurate the council.
The party will also need to finalise its campaign timetable, funding arrangements and nationwide election-agent structures.
As preparations continue, the composition of the official campaign council will provide a clearer picture of the personnel and organisational structure the NDC intends to use for its 2027 presidential campaign.
Weng Global – Stories beyond borders
Sources
- Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC)
- Vanguard
- The PUNCH
- TheCable
- New Telegraph
- Channels Television
