NDC

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has distanced itself from a 59-member Presidential Campaign Council announced by the Obi-Kwankwaso (OK) Movement, saying the structure was not authorised by the party.

The OK Movement, a support group associated with the presidential ticket of Peter Obi and his running mate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, unveiled the campaign council on Thursday.

The committee included zonal and state coordinators, alongside directors responsible for areas such as mobilisation, women’s affairs, strategy, security and legal affairs.

The movement named John Ughulu as the council’s Director-General and Saadatu Sani as its National Secretary.

Sani said the group was established to mobilise Nigerians around its political project and the possibility of a better country.

The NDC, however, said the campaign council did not originate from the party.

In a statement issued on Saturday, NDC National Chairman, Cleopas Moses, asked the public and media to disregard the announcement.

“The party hereby dissociates itself in totality from the said OK Movement PCC announcement. It did not emanate from the party and should be disregarded by the public and the media,” he said.

Moses said candidates contesting under the NDC platform remained subject to the party’s authority and disciplinary structure.

“All candidates of the party must appreciate that they are not running as independent candidates,” he said.

“They are products of the party and remain subject to the authority and discipline of the party.

“Therefore, only the party’s leadership can constitute and announce a Presidential Campaign Council.”

The national chairman further warned members, candidates and support organisations against announcing campaign structures in the name of the party without approval.

“Henceforth, no individual or group is authorised to announce, constitute, or publish any campaign council, structure, or organ in the name of the party without prior approval from the National Working Committee (NWC),” Moses said.

While acknowledging the role of support groups, he said such organisations must not present themselves as parallel structures of the NDC.

“While the party will continue to work collaboratively with all support groups, such groups should not see themselves as alternative party structures or parallel organs of the party,” he said.

Moses also urged members and support groups with grievances to use the party’s internal channels instead of engaging in public disputes.

The NDC chairman further said Ughulu would be referred to the appropriate disciplinary organ over what the party described as “his excesses during the primary election in Lagos state” and “repeated disregard for party authority”.

The development follows the OK Movement’s unveiling of its proposed campaign structure ahead of the 2027 presidential election. The party leadership maintains that only its authorised structures can constitute and announce an official Presidential Campaign Council.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal has overturned a Federal High Court judgment in Lokoja that had invalidated the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a political party.

The appellate court delivered its decision on Friday, September 18, 2026, in a case arising from the June ruling of the Federal High Court, Lokoja, which had set aside an earlier judgment directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the NDC.

Justice Isah Dashen had previously ruled that the December 10, 2025 judgment directing INEC to register the NDC was delivered without hearing all parties with a legal interest in the matter.

The decision followed an application by the Peace Movement Party (PMP), which argued that it had sufficient legal interest in the case and ought to have been joined before the earlier judgment was delivered.

Justice Dashen accepted the argument and held that the failure to include the PMP affected the validity of the proceedings.

The NDC subsequently challenged the Federal High Court’s decision at the Court of Appeal. The appellate court has now set aside the Lokoja judgment and restored the legal position that recognised the party’s registration.

Dickson Welcomes Court Decision

Reacting to the judgment, Seriake Dickson, national leader of the NDC, said the ruling means the party’s registration “remains valid and subsisting”.

Dickson also said the party would now turn its attention to the 2027 general elections and its political contest with the All Progressives Congress (APC).

In a statement posted on his X handle, he said: “We want to use this opportunity once again to commend the Nigerian judiciary, and in particular, Hon. Justice Danjuma and Hon. Justice Hassan, for upholding the integrity of the Nigerian judiciary and, by their decisions, expanding the sphere of multiparty democratic participation in Nigeria,” the statement reads.


He added: “We have said repeatedly that the NDC was set up to expand the frontier of multiparty democracy in Nigeria. Justice Dashen’s judgment a few months ago was an unexpected assault on our constitutional right to participate and an attempt to narrow the democratic space.


“Happily, today, by the decision of the Court of Appeal, the Nigerian democratic space has been protected, and the NDC’s right to participate in all political activities as a registered political party has been upheld.”


The Court of Appeal ruling comes as political parties prepare for the 2027 general elections. Reports on the judgment indicate that the appellate court’s majority decision overturned the Lokoja ruling, while a dissenting view was also recorded by a member of the panel.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Vice Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Rabi’u Kwankwaso, has called on the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Atiku Abubakar, to abandon his 2027 presidential ambition and support the NDC.

Kwankwaso made the appeal on Thursday when he received members of the Fulani Farmers Association at his residence in Abuja.

The former Kano State governor urged Atiku to step aside for the NDC ticket and assured him that he would be taken care of if the party eventually wins the presidency.

“Step down for us; if we win, we will take care of you,” Kwankwaso said.

The appeal comes amid ongoing efforts by opposition politicians to form a united front against President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Atiku, a former Vice President, remains one of the prominent opposition figures seeking the presidency in 2027.

Kwankwaso and the NDC presidential candidate, Peter Obi, had previously been associated with the ADC before they left the party in May. They cited internal divisions and court cases within the party as reasons for their departure.

Their move to the NDC has added to the realignment among opposition politicians ahead of the next presidential election.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has asked Nigerians to scrutinise his past and publicly disclose any wrongdoing they believe he has committed.

Obi made the call on Thursday at a town hall meeting with voters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where he answered questions on the 2027 general election.

The former Anambra State governor spoke amid renewed public scrutiny of the records of politicians seeking to contest the 2027 presidential election, including President Bola Tinubu and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.

There has also been public discussion about the educational records of some leading presidential contenders after they left out their primary and secondary school certificates from the personal particulars submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in July.

Obi said he and his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, had made information about their backgrounds available for public verification.

“I want to give every Nigerian the opportunity to know who I am,” he said.

“Both of us have presented our backgrounds, from our dates of birth to our schools, education and all, to the people. You can go and verify our backgrounds worldwide, anywhere.”

The former governor also referred indirectly to his legal dispute with Kenneth Okonkwo, who served as his spokesperson during the 2023 presidential campaign.

Obi had instituted a court case against the Nollywood actor over alleged defamatory statements concerning their previous dealings. He said the action followed Okonkwo’s claim that he possessed information about Obi’s past that could shock the public.

“We have sued somebody in court. He said he knows something he can say and the people will be shocked. I said I want you to say what people will be shocked about,” Obi said.

He then challenged Nigerians and people around the world to produce evidence of any wrongdoing against him or Kwankwaso.

“And I’m challenging every Nigerian. If there is anything that you know I have done that is wrong, say it out now.

“I’m challenging the world over: if you know anything that Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has done that is wrong, say it out now.”

Obi also argued that candidates for senior political positions should be judged by the credibility of the processes through which they attain office.

“You cannot continue to answer his excellency when the process that got you there is not excellent,” he said.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

A long-time associate of Rabiu Kwankwaso, the vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Kabiru Abdullahi, has left the party for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Abdullahi announced his resignation from the NDC in a letter addressed to the chairman of the party in Kofar Ruwa Ward, Dala Local Government Area of Kano State.

His defection comes ahead of the 2027 general elections and adds to the political realignments within Kano State as major parties position themselves for the next electoral contest.

Abdullahi, who has been associated with Kwankwaso for several years, did not state in the report the reasons for his decision to quit the NDC and join the APC.

The development is expected to attract attention within political circles in Kano, given Abdullahi’s previous relationship with the NDC’s vice-presidential candidate.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Oyo State Governor and presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Seyi Makinde, has selected former Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Lawal Daura, as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election.

The announcement was made on Thursday at the APM national convention held at the Government House in Bauchi.

A statement by Dotun Oyelade, Oyo State Commissioner for Information, said Makinde unveiled Daura as his choice for the vice-presidential slot at the gathering.

Makinde said the former DSS chief was selected in response to the security challenges facing the country. He expressed confidence that Daura’s experience would help address the insecurity affecting Nigerians.

The governor also said he was prepared to tackle the country’s worsening poverty situation, which he attributed to poorly implemented policies over the past three years.

The APM candidate said his administration would seek cooperation with politicians who share his vision as part of efforts to improve the country after the 2027 election.

Makinde declared his intention to contest the presidency on May 14 at a joint mega-rally of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and APM in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

At the time, he said his decision to seek the presidency was driven by the need to reset the country. He also maintained that the challenge extended beyond securing victory at the polls, as Nigerians deserved a genuine opportunity to determine the nation’s direction.

Daura served as DSS Director-General from July 2015 until August 2018. His tenure ended after he was reportedly removed over a controversial DSS operation at the National Assembly complex.

Before his latest political move, Daura was an aspirant for the governorship ticket of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Katsina State.

He resigned from the ADC on Sunday and announced plans to join the APM. He cited what he described as injustice and instability within the party as reasons for his departure.

Daura’s selection by Makinde marks another major development in the political realignment ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has maintained that the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise will end today, July 26, despite calls from opposition political parties and civil society organisations (CSOs) for an extension to allow more eligible Nigerians to register ahead of the 2027 general elections.

In a notice posted on its X account on Saturday, the commission said registration centres across the country would operate from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the final day of the exercise.

“Your future won’t wait. Neither should you. The Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise ends Sunday, 26 July 2026,” the commission stated.

INEC also advised prospective voters to complete their registration through its online CVR portal or visit designated registration centres and INEC offices nationwide for physical assistance.

The commission explained that the Electoral Act requires it to suspend voter registration, voter register updates and revisions 90 days before an election. The measure allows time for data cleaning, printing of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and other election preparations.

INEC National Commissioner Mohammed Haruna said there would be no extension beyond the deadline because the commission must begin processing the data collected.

“By midnight on Sunday, voter registration ends. There won’t be any extension. There are so many things that we need to do at the back end. We have to draw a line; otherwise, we won’t be able to produce a clean copy of what has been posted,” he said.

Haruna said the commission’s Information Technology Department and Voter Registration Department would immediately begin reviewing the records after registration closes.

He explained that the Automated Biometric Identification System would detect and remove multiple registrations before the provisional voters’ register is published for public scrutiny.

“We have this automatic biometric system that will check whether somebody has registered more than once. They will publish the register for claims and objections. That is, if anybody thinks a name shouldn’t be on the register, or if he has some claims, for instance, that his name has been omitted or some of his details are incorrect,” he said.

Haruna added that the total number of newly registered voters would only be available after biometric verification and the claims and objections process.

“So, it’s after all that has been done that we will have a final figure, which we will now add to the existing 93 million or so. That will then become the voters’ register. We are mandated to give every political party a copy ahead of the election,” he added.

The Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Dayo Oketola, also defended the decision. He said the commission acted in line with the law and its election timetable. He dismissed concerns about technical challenges and insisted the registration portal was capable of handling applicants throughout the exercise.

According to him, the commission had already extended the exercise and conducted nationwide voter education campaigns to encourage participation.

“The states have pictorial evidence of the awareness campaigns and voter education carried out by the commission,” he added.

Meanwhile, INEC disclosed that it had registered 2,970,257 eligible Nigerians as of July 17, 2026, during Phase III, Week Nine of the CVR exercise. The figure includes both online and physical registrations. However, the commission said the data remains provisional until the completion of claims, objections and biometric verification.

The statistics showed that 970,865 people completed registration online, while 2,000,092 registered physically. Women accounted for 1,561,765 registrants, while 1,409,192 men completed the process.

Young people between the ages of 18 and 34 made up the largest group of registrants with 2,003,183 registrations. Students formed the biggest occupational category with 695,026 registrations, followed by business owners with 626,523.

Kano recorded the highest number of registrations with 234,305, followed by Lagos with 140,546 and Edo with 139,313. Bauchi recorded 96,061 registrations, while Borno had 44,866.

Despite INEC’s position, several opposition parties and civil society organisations urged the commission to extend the exercise.

African Democratic Congress (ADC) National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi argued that voter registration should not be restricted to fixed timelines.

“We have also mobilised people across the country to INEC to register, but you know it is not easy for people to abandon their daily work to go and queue for hours at INEC offices for registration. What we have done is mobilise our people at the grassroots level,” he said.

The National Publicity Secretary of the Taminu Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ini Ememobong, said many Nigerians had lost confidence in the electoral process.

“Nigerians are discouraged, and this is putting them off registering. Unless INEC clearly demonstrates that it is impartial and capable of conducting credible elections, it will continue to have a negative impact on participation,” he said.

Labour Party National Publicity Secretary Obiora Ifoh also criticised the planned closure.

“The name of the exercise is Continuous Voter Registration, and we should start with the name and allow people who have an interest in participating in the election to register.

“I don’t see how people registering even up to December can obstruct what INEC is doing, so long as those people are not going to contest elections.

“It is only in Nigeria that electoral umpires put barriers in place to keep people from participating. In most other countries, once you have a national identity, it is enough for you to vote, but here they are making it a big deal.

“I don’t know where the idea of stopping people from participating in the CVR comes from or how it will help INEC. Millions of Nigerians will turn 18 by December. Are they saying those people should not register?” Ifoh said.

Civil society organisations also backed calls for an extension.

President of Women Arise for Change Initiative, Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin, said the commission should consider keeping registration open for a few more weeks because about six months remain before the elections.

“Given that there are six clear months before the general elections, there may be a need to relax the closure of voter registration for some more weeks.

“It should not be in response to the demand of political parties but in response to the need to make our democratic process more participatory. Such an extension may be effective for new voters at INEC offices nationwide only,” she said.

Chairman of the BallotEyes Working Group, Olasupo Abideen, described the closure as premature.

“To be honest, when we say something is continuous, it should be continuous voter registration. Because the moment INEC closes the portal, especially with more than six months before the election, I think it is wrong,” he said.

Executive Director of the Socio-Economic and Civic Rights Advocacy, Emmanuel Olowu, also questioned the legal basis for ending the exercise several months before the elections.

“If the law allows registration to continue until no later than 90 days before the election, why has INEC ended the exercise about 180 days before polling? What legal, administrative or logistical reasons justify this early closure?” Olowu asked.

However, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Yiaga Africa supported INEC’s decision.

APC National Vice Chairman (South-East), Dr Ijeomah Arodiogbu, said the commission requires a deadline to complete election preparations.

“Talking about an extension; we are willing to indulge the other political parties because they would otherwise complain that INEC is biased against them. Meanwhile, INEC gave equal time to all the political parties, and they failed to do the needful but preferred to spread false narratives to deceive the people.

“INEC also gave an extension for the upload of candidates, and we welcomed it even though we had met the initial timeframe. If it is the decision of INEC and it will not affect its programme, we have no objection,” he said.

Yiaga Africa Executive Director Samson Itodo also defended the commission’s decision.

“The commission requires sufficient time to clean the register, adjudicate claims and objections, remove duplicates, print voter registers and complete other pre-election preparations. While the closure may disappoint some prospective voters, certainty and adherence to the electoral timetable are essential for effective election planning,” he said.

By Uzair Adam

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has named Mustapha Rabiu Kwankwaso as its deputy governorship candidate for Kano State ahead of the 2027 general elections.

His emergence was announced after a stakeholders’ meeting held at the Miller Road residence of the leader of the Kwankwasiyya movement and former Kano State governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, in Kano.

Mustapha, son of the former governor, will serve as the running mate to Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, who was earlier selected by the party as its governorship candidate for the 2027 election.

The development comes amid ongoing consultations within the party as it intensifies preparations for the next electoral cycle in Kano State.

Before his nomination, Mustapha Rabiu Kwankwaso served as Kano State Commissioner for Youth and Sports.

The NDC is expected to formally unveil its campaign structure and begin wider consultations with party stakeholders across the state as part of efforts to strengthen its position ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

National Leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Seriake Dickson, has rejected claims of internal divisions within the party, insisting that the political movement remains united and focused on its objectives ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Dickson stated this during an interview on Prime Time, a programme aired on Arise Television on Wednesday, where he responded to questions about developments within the party.

The former Bayelsa State governor said the NDC continues to enjoy the support and confidence of prominent political figures, including former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi and former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso.

According to him: “There is no crisis in the NDC whatsoever. We have been able to enjoy the confidence of my colleagues, former governors like me, Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso.

“These are very distinguished Nigerian political leaders, and we brought the two of them to the platform. They came to our platform, and there are people with whom I have been working for some time. So, it is a recent development that we are now in this kind of convergence in the NDC.

“A lot of Nigerians believe in us, and I want to begin by thanking Nigerians for their trust and confidence.

“We have seen it in the number of people who have shown interest in contesting on our platform, which is part of what we are talking about. It is not a crisis.”

Dickson argued that the increasing number of aspirants seeking elective positions under the party’s platform should be viewed as a sign of growing acceptance rather than evidence of internal conflict.

He maintained that the NDC remains committed to strengthening its structure and preparing for future electoral contests, noting that public support for the party continues to expand across the country.

By Uzair Adam 

Former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has responded to recent remarks by Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, saying the former Kano governor was also once under his political mentorship.

Ganduje, who is currently in Saudi Arabia performing the Hajj pilgrimage, made the response in a statement released on Friday through his Chief of Staff, Comrade Muhammad Garba.

The statement followed comments credited to Kwankwaso in which he reportedly said, “Even Ganduje was once my boy.”

Reacting to the remark, Ganduje said politics thrives on mentorship, sacrifice, support and long-standing relationships, noting that no politician attains prominence without assistance from others along the way.

According to the statement, Ganduje recalled playing a significant role in Kwankwaso’s early political journey, especially during the National Assembly election that led to his emergence as Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.

“At that period, Ganduje could comfortably have described Kwankwaso as his political boy, considering the moral and financial support he offered him,” the statement read.

The former APC chairman further recalled that during his time as a senior civil servant in the Federal Capital Territory and later as Kano State Commissioner for Works, Housing and Transport, Kwankwaso frequently visited him in both Abuja and Kano.

Ganduje said reviving “boy-master” narratives in present-day politics was unnecessary at a time citizens expect leaders to focus on governance, peace and development.

He also revisited the 1998 Kano governorship primaries, claiming that many party stakeholders believed he won the contest but that senior political figures persuaded him to accept the deputy governorship position alongside Kwankwaso in the interest of party unity.

Despite their political disagreements over the years, Ganduje noted that he and Kwankwaso worked together successfully as governor and deputy governor between 1999 and 2003, and again from 2011 to 2015.

He added that political relationships naturally evolve, citing the example of Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, who once served as Kwankwaso’s Personal Assistant but later rose to become governor of the state.

“Politics should not be reduced to who is superior to the other. A father can nurture a child who eventually surpasses him in influence and status,” Ganduje stated.

He urged political leaders and supporters in Kano State to avoid divisive comments and instead concentrate on promoting unity, peace and development across the state.