UPDATED: NDC crisis continues as party says it has no list of candidates yet

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has announced that it has not “released any official results of its primary elections in any state.”

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The opposition party, in a statement by its spokesperson, Osa Director, asked Nigerians to “disregard any such list in circulation.”

PREMIUM TIMES reports that the NDC is embroiled in multiple crises in its state chapters amid allegations by members that many of its primaries did not follow due process.

Although some primaries were held over a week ago, the NDC has yet to announce the results officially.

Mr Director, in his statement shared on X, was responding to the crisis rocking the Kano State chapter of the NDC and across Nigeria.

The party’s vice presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, is a former governor of Kano. He won the 2023 presidential election in Kano as a candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party.

Mr Kwankwaso is now the running mate to Peter Obi, who came third in the 2023 presidential election, behind President Bola Tinubu and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

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Mr Director stressed that the NDC’s clarification on the non-release of results of its primaries was announced after closed-door peace talks between members of the Kwankwasiya Movement and old members of the party in Kano State.

Kwankwasiya Movement is a political support group founded by Mr Kwankwaso.

Mr Director said the national leader of the NDC, Seriake Dickson, and other members of the party’s national leadership took part in the closed-door peace talks with the warring parties.

The closed-door meeting was aimed at resolving the issues between the Kwankwasiya Movement and the legacy officials of the NDC in Kano State.

“Senator Dickson and the NDC leadership are mediating in the process to enhance inclusion and participation by every party member. The NDC leadership will not impose candidates in Kano State, and indeed across the nation, as the party cherishes the virtues of internal democracy.

“The meeting, which lasted several hours, was productive,” the NDC spokesperson said.

Background

The NDC held its primaries on 29 May in preparation for the 2027 general elections. The party has yet to announce the results of the exercise, over a week after the exercise.

READ ALSO: NDC okays its nationwide 2027 primaries, begins reconciliation of aggrieved members

On Wednesday, the NDC announced that its National Executive Committee had ratified and endorsed the outcome of the party’s 2027 nationwide primaries despite not releasing the results.

The endorsement of the NDC’s nationwide primaries came despite allegations of manipulation by some aspirants who took part in the exercise.

As in other parts of Nigeria, the crisis in the Kano State chapter of the NDC stems from the non-release of the party’s primary results.

Some old members of the party in Kano State were said to have petitioned the national leadership of the NDC, alleging that Mr Kwankwaso was sidelining them, with the majority of members of his Kwankwasiya Movement getting the party tickets.

The petition followed a purported list of candidates and primary winners circulating on social media.

But the NDC clarified that the party has yet to release any official results of its primaries in Kano and any state in Nigeria, or a list of candidates.

The party asked Nigerians to disregard such a list.