By Myke Uzendu, Abuja
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has fixed October 20, 2026, for the inauguration of its Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), presentation of Certificates of Return to its candidates for the 2027 general elections and a strategic dinner for candidates contesting various elective positions.
The party also disclosed that its presidential and vice-presidential candidates, Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, respectively, would participate in consultations to determine key appointments in the campaign council.
National Chairman of the NDC, Senator Moses Cleopas Zuwoghe, announced this on Saturday at a press conference at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.
He said the campaign council’s organisational structure and timetable had been ready since the end of August, but its inauguration was being delayed to allow Obi and Kwankwaso to conclude consultations and recommend nominees for strategic positions.
According to him, the activities scheduled for October 20 would follow a meeting of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), where key decisions concerning preparations for the 2027 elections are expected to be considered and ratified.
Cleopas said the delay did not indicate inactivity or internal division, explaining that the party was committed to establishing a properly constituted campaign structure capable of coordinating its nationwide electoral activities.
He added that appointments would reflect national spread, competence, capacity and the ability of nominees to contribute meaningfully to the campaign.
The NDC chairman disclosed that Obi and Kwankwaso were expected to recommend nominees for several strategic positions in the Presidential Campaign Council, including Director-General, Deputy Director-General, campaign spokesperson, Director of Social Media and Financial Controller.
The candidates are also expected to nominate two additional officers who, alongside the party’s National Treasurer, will oversee the campaign council’s separate and dedicated bank account.
Cleopas said the arrangement was intended to ensure that the presidential and vice-presidential candidates were actively involved in decisions affecting the organisation, financing and direction of their campaign.
He maintained that the party leadership, the candidates and the National Leader, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, were united in their preparations for the 2027 elections.
The chairman said the campaign council would be formally announced after the national leadership received the candidates’ nominations and recommendations.
He argued that constituting the council without the active participation of the presidential candidate and his running mate would be inappropriate, given their central roles in the presidential contest.
Cleopas also dismissed reports suggesting that the party was divided or struggling to organise itself ahead of the 2027 elections.
He said the press conference was partly convened to address concerns raised by party members, supporters and Nigerians over the apparent delay in establishing the presidential campaign structure.
The chairman maintained that the National Working Committee (NWC), NEC, National Leader and party structures at the state, local government and ward levels remained committed to the party’s candidates.
He equally rejected suggestions that Dickson was working with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to undermine the NDC presidential ticket.
Questioning the basis of the allegation, Cleopas said it would have been easier for Dickson to join the APC than to undertake the more demanding process of establishing and registering a political party if his objective had been to work for the ruling party.
He urged journalists to exercise caution in reporting political allegations and speculation, warning that misinformation could create unnecessary distrust and mislead the electorate.
The NDC chairman commended the judiciary for providing the platform through which the party was registered and acknowledged the role of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), calling for continued support for the electoral umpire.
As part of its preparations for the 2027 elections, the NDC said it was developing arrangements for recruiting, training and deploying election agents across the country.
Cleopas explained that candidates contesting state and national elections would nominate agents to represent them during the electoral process.
Each candidate would submit separate lists of agents for state and national elections, including the presidential, senatorial and House of Representatives contests.
He said the presidential candidate and his running mate would also contribute to arrangements concerning national election agents.
The party plans to organise extensive training for the nominated agents to familiarise them with their responsibilities, including monitoring voting, observing electoral procedures, reporting irregularities and protecting the interests of the candidates they represent.
According to Cleopas, the party is drawing lessons from challenges encountered by Obi and the Labour Party during the 2023 presidential election to strengthen its organisational capacity and avoid repeating past mistakes.
He stressed that the presidential campaign must be coordinated with the activities of candidates contesting governorship, legislative and other elective positions.
The chairman acknowledged the role of support groups in mobilising voters and defending the party’s votes, specifically mentioning the Obidients, Kwankwasiyya and OK Movement, among others.
He described the groups as important partners whose reach and expertise would contribute to the party’s grassroots mobilisation efforts.
However, he cautioned against attempts by some support groups or their leaders to assume responsibilities reserved for the party, including establishing a presidential campaign committee while consultations were still ongoing.
Cleopas said the party had intervened in a dispute involving a factional support-group leader, maintaining that the party’s position had been misinterpreted by the individual and some supporters.
He insisted that the NDC would not constitute its presidential campaign structure without involving genuine support groups whose contributions were considered important to the campaign.
The chairman also acknowledged concerns raised by some party members over alleged infiltration of support groups by individuals purportedly working for the ruling party or other interests.
Some members have alleged that groups claiming to support the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket were being used to spread misinformation and create distrust between the party leadership, its candidates and genuine supporters.
Cleopas attributed much of the controversy circulating on social media to what he described as sponsored actors operating within support groups.
He nevertheless maintained that the party had no fundamental disagreement with its legitimate support organisations and remained committed to coordinating their activities towards a common electoral objective.
Cleopas further dismissed claims that the NDC had yet to begin engaging voters, disclosing that town hall meetings and consultations had already taken place in several parts of the country.
He said the party had held meetings in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, as well as Sokoto and Kaduna, with another engagement scheduled for Enugu the following week.
“Our town hall began in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. I was there with our presidential candidate, the running mate, the Rivers State governorship candidate of the party, Dumont Lulu Briggs, among several others,” he said.
He explained that the engagements were designed to communicate the party’s message, interact with communities and strengthen relationships ahead of the formal inauguration of the presidential campaign council.
The NDC chairman described the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket as an attempt to appeal to Nigerians across regional, religious and ethnic divides.
He also highlighted the importance of young Nigerians to the party’s electoral strategy, saying the NDC intended to combine youth participation with the experience of established political leaders to build an enduring political institution.
According to him, the party is fielding candidates for all categories of elective positions, including the presidency, governorships, Senate, House of Representatives and state houses of assembly.
On electoral integrity, Cleopas called on INEC, security agencies and political actors to ensure that the outcome of the 2027 general elections reflects the will of the electorate.
“Allow votes to count or be counted,” he declared.
He said the NDC would operate within the law but would not remain indifferent to attempts to frustrate the electoral choices of Nigerians.
The chairman also urged security and intelligence agencies to remain non-partisan, arguing that public confidence in the elections would depend significantly on the neutrality of institutions responsible for maintaining law and order.
Expressing confidence in the party’s preparations, he said the NDC was determined to compete nationwide and take lawful steps to protect its candidates and votes.
“We are convinced that if it is the votes to win the 2027 general elections, we have them,” he said.
The October 20 activities are expected to mark a major milestone in the party’s preparations for the 2027 general elections, providing an opportunity to formalise its campaign leadership, strengthen coordination among candidates and advance its presidential and nationwide electoral campaigns.
Reaffirming the party’s commitment to national renewal and the development of an enduring political institution, Cleopas declared: “Nigeria must work again.”
