The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) will inaugurate its Presidential Campaign Council on October 20, present certificates of return to its candidates and host a strategic dinner for those contesting elective positions, the party’s national chairman said Saturday.
Senator Moses Cleopas Zuwoghe announced the date at a press conference at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja. He said the activities would follow a meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC), where key decisions on preparations for the 2027 general elections are expected to be ratified.
The party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, are central to finalising the campaign leadership. Cleopas said the council’s structure and timetable had been ready since the end of August, but inauguration was delayed pending the candidates’ consultations and recommendations for key positions.
“The organogram and timetable have been ready since the end of August. We are only waiting for the candidates to conclude their consultations and submit their nominees for the various positions,” he said.
Obi and Kwankwaso are expected to recommend nominees for roles including Director-General, Deputy Director-General, campaign spokesperson, Director of Social Media and Financial Controller. They will also nominate two additional officers who, with the party’s National Treasurer, will oversee the campaign council’s separate bank account.
Cleopas dismissed suggestions of internal division or inactivity, saying the party was deliberately ensuring the campaign structure reflected competence, capacity and national spread. He also rejected claims that National Leader Senator Henry Seriake Dickson was working with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to undermine the ticket.
“Why would Dickson go the tortuous and more expensive route of setting up and registering a party when it would have been easier and more financially beneficial to simply join the APC?” he asked.
The chairman said the party was arranging to recruit, train and deploy election agents, drawing lessons from challenges faced by Obi and the Labour Party in 2023.
“We are making arrangements to ensure that the mistakes of 2023 are not repeated in 2027,” he said.
He stressed the importance of support groups such as the Obidient Movement and Kwankwasiyya while cautioning against them assuming party functions. Town hall meetings have already been held in Port Harcourt, Sokoto and Kaduna, with Enugu scheduled next week.
Cleopas expressed confidence in the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket’s broad appeal and the party’s electoral prospects.
“We are convinced that if it is the votes to win the 2027 general elections, we have them,” he said, adding: “Nigeria must work again.”
