The presidential candidate of the opposition Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi and his running mate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso appear to have divergent views on some issues ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Obi and Kwankwaso hold different views on fuel subsidy removal and establishment of state police.
Daily Trust reports that Obi supports the removal of the subsidy but believes it should have been removed in a structured and phased manner, noting that the alleged mismanagement of subsidy savings should not have been an excuse for restoring it.
Speaking at the Nigerian Bar Association conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, recently, Obi maintained that he did not support a return to the fuel subsidy era.
“I subscribe and maintain that you need to remove the subsidy. Mismanagement of the proceeds shouldn’t be the reason for not removing it. What we should have done is that when we remove subsidy, we would have given the people an alternative usage for the subsidy. What we have today is that the removal and attendant resources being recovered are also being mismanaged and stolen,” Obi had said.
But Kwankwaso said he supported the reintroduction of the subsidy in a modified form.
In a TV interview on Tuesday, the NDC vice-presidential candidate stated that an Obi-led government would bring back subsidy “in our own way.”
Asked whether it would be difficult for the NDC to campaign in the North-West, where there is support for the return of subsidy, Kwankwaso said, “No, no, no, look. We are bringing subsidy in our own way.”
“Of course, there are many ways. One, I can tell you: now we have a refinery built by a businessman, and I’m sure more refineries would be built.
“Now, if individuals in this country could build refineries, I see no reason why the government, under certain circumstances, will not build a refinery or refineries to the extent that we achieve the minimum requirement.
“What is the minimum requirement? The minimum requirement is for the people across the country to go to the filling stations and buy fuel at a reasonable price.
“We, in the NDC, will do whatever it takes, really, to put the price of oil down,” he said.
The position of the NDC presidential candidate and his running mate also differed on state police.
Obi had in a statement on his X handle, commended the State Police Bill, saying it represents a major legislative milestone in Nigeria’s quest to reform its policing architecture, but disagreed with the manner in which the legislation was processed.
He said the absence of broad public consultation and the speed with which the legislation was passed had created widespread suspicion about the motives behind the initiative.
Obi said, “The recent passage of the State Police Bill by the National Assembly marks a significant legislative milestone in addressing a long-standing demand of the Nigerian people.
Also, in an interview with Arise Television, Obi, when asked if he believes in state police, retorted: ‘’Yes I believe in state police. We will do whatever it takes to secure the country.”
But the NDC vice-presidential candidate, in the Tuesday interview, rejected the creation of state police in Nigeria saying the increasing calls for it were due to the inability of the current federal policing system to effectively tackle the country’s security challenges.
Kwankwaso insisted that the idea of state police emerged because of what he described as the failure of the federal or national police to effectively deal with insecurity.
He said, “I have always been against state police, and I can tell you the issue of state police came because of the failure of the federal or national police. I think it’s one of the big mistakes that government is doing.
NDC, OK Movement rift
Also, the brewing tension between the hierarchy of the NDC and grassroots volunteers under the auspices of the Obi-Kwankwaso (OK) Movement has spilled into the open after the executive leadership of the party disowned a 59-member Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) unveiled by the movement.
The move marks the first major public battle over political supremacy, organisational control and strategy between the party platform and the high-profile support group backing the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket.
Analysts describe the disagreement within the party over the structure of its campaign machinery as “untimely” and warned the crisis could have wider implications for the opposition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The crisis escalated when the OK Movement, through its National Secretary Saadatu Sani, announced the formation of an independent campaign machinery led by the movement’s National Director-General, John Ughulu, as Director-General of the PCC. The announcement was swiftly rebuffed by the party hierarchy.
In a counter-statement titled “Re: Purported OK Movement PCC Announcement,” the NDC National Chairman, Senator Cleopas Moses, officially disavowed the movement’s setup, insisting that no campaign structure could be unveiled without formal approval from the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).
Adding weight to the party’s stance, the NDC National Leader Senator Seriake Dickson cautioned support groups against setting up alternative organs that compete with official structures.
While acknowledging the importance of support groups in grassroots mobilisation, Dickson insisted that all campaign activities must be channeled through formal party machinery.
“Support groups should work with the political party and its campaign structures rather than compete with them during the electioneering process,” Dickson noted, reiterating that party supremacy remains non-negotiable.
Why NDC, OK Movement are at loggerheads
Behind the public statements lies a fundamental conflict between traditional party governance and organic political mobilisation.
Party insiders revealed that the NDC leaders fear being sidelined by the support group’s assertive structure.
An NDC chieftain, who spoke on condition of anonymity, outlined the core conflict.
“The friction rests on organizational independence versus party supremacy. The OK Movement maintains it is a volunteer-driven force that will not be absorbed or subordinated into the NDC machinery. Conversely, the NDC views political authority through constitutional structures. Allowing parallel campaign councils creates competing power centers that undermine party discipline,” the source said.
The feud is further complicated by leadership disputes around Ughulu. While state and ward coordinators of the OK Movement have threatened mass withdrawal if Ughulu is removed, NDC leaders have resisted his authority, citing unresolved disciplinary proceedings over past primary disputes in Lagos.
Campaign council list ‘nonsensical’ – Dickson
The NDC national leader, Dickson, also criticised the OK Movement over the controversy surrounding the 59-member presidential campaign council list, describing the group’s actions as “nonsensical.”
Dickson addressed the issue on Tuesday following a meeting of NDC stakeholders in Abuja, where Babachir Lawal, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), officially joined the party.
Rejecting the movement’s stance, Dickson emphasised that support groups must understand their boundaries and avoid attempting to rival the party apparatus.
“Support groups don’t compete with the political party that is sponsoring candidates. Support groups don’t compete for supremacy and space. They provide grassroots support and mobilisation. They don’t convert themselves to become critics of the political party sponsored. They don’t attack the political party sponsored,” he said.
Dickson noted that while support groups exist across all political platforms, including the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), none had attempted to usurp party functions.
“None of them will dare say they are setting up a presidential campaign council. It is unheard of. Nonsensical. And those who had a duty to educate and call people to order should do so,” he added.
Despite the reprimand, the NDC leader affirmed that the party recognises the value of grassroot support groups and remains open to collaborating with them, noting that he has previously held constructive meetings with Obedient groups.
Movement declares independence from party
Refusing to back down, Ughulu, in a statement on Wednesday, asserted that the movement remains an autonomous entity that will neither merge into the NDC nor surrender its nationwide structures.
“The OK Movement is an independent political organisation, not a support group created as an appendage of any political party. Its existence and internal administration are not subject to the internal management of the NDC. Political cooperation between the OK Movement and the NDC should be understood as collaboration rather than organizational subordination,” Ughulu declared. https://dailytrust.com/ndc-one-ticket-two-visions/
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