A crisis is brewing in the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) over the sharing formula between old and new members in the Kano chapter of the party.

Daily Trust gathered that there is an attempt to sideline those who recently joined the NDC alongside the leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

Daily Trust gathered that at the initial stage, the old members expressed reservations about possible domination following Kwankwaso’s entry into the party. However, both camps later agreed to a 60–40 sharing formula for executive positions and candidates, with Kwankwaso taking the larger share.

The party then proceeded to elect its executives and candidates through consensus, with the leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso emerging as the vice presidential candidate of the party, to run with Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in 2023. However, almost 10 days after the party released the names of candidates, complaints of marginalisation from the old members resurfaced.

They accused Kwankwaso of not respecting the formula during the selection process, thereby, relegating the old members. In response, five House of Representatives seats and seven state assembly tickets were wrestled from Kwankwaso’s nominees in favour of the old members.

A document signed by the NDC chairman in Kano, Hussaini Isah Mairiga, and addressed to the party’s national leader, Senator Seriake Dickson, Kwankwasiyya leader, Senator Kwankwaso, and NDC’s North West zonal chairman, Alhaji Muhammadu Rabiu Sabo Bakinzuwo, confirmed the changes.

According to the document, the party approved the following for House of Representatives seats; Barr. Isma’il Idris Sani for Kumbotso, Nasiru Ali Ahmed for Nassarawa, Kabiru Ishaq Sa’id for Kano Municipal, Barr. Dayyabu Jamilu Ibrahim for Doguwa/Tudunwada, Muhammad Hamisu Abubakar for Dawakin Tofa/Rimin Gado/Tofa, Ibrahim Bashir Bango for Sumaila/Takai, and Abdulmajid Isa Umar Mairigar Fata for Gwale.

Similarly, adjustments were made to the state assembly tickets in Dala, Tarauni, Kumbotso, Ungogo, and Dawakin Kudu constituencies.

Daily Trust gathered that the initial agreement between NDC and Kwankwaso stipulated a 60–40 sharing formula, with Kwankwasiyya taking 60 per cent of party and elective positions, while NDC would retain 40 per cent.

However, sources within the party said the Kwankwasiyya faction did not concede any seat to the party’s faction, a development that triggered disenchantment and forced the NDC to come up with its own sharing formula.

Earlier crisis

It would be recalled that shortly after Senator Kwankwaso joined the party, the state chairman, Hussaini Isa Mairiga, rejected alleged moves to cede control of the structure to the former governor. Mairiga had insisted that the existing leadership would not surrender control.

He maintained that Kwankwaso wanted the entire party structure handed over to him despite the old members having being in the party before him and had contributed to setting up its structures.

The national body of the party intervened and settled the matter after Kwankwaso agreed to allow Mairiga to continue as party chairman while he produced other executives in line with the arrangement.

‘We will take more seats to fill our 40 per cent quota’

Spokesman of the Kano State chapter of the NDC, Ibrahim Waya, told Siyasarmu TV, a Kano-based online platform, that they had repeatedly asked Kwankwasiyya members to listen to their complaints but were ignored.

He said, “You can’t just enter somebody’s house, open his wardrobe and start using his clothes without his consent. We didn’t even take the required 40 per cent approved for us. We only took four Reps seats and seven state assembly seats.

“If they had listened and given us what we asked for, we would have kept quiet. But now that there is crisis, even the 12 federal and state seats we took are not up to the required 40 per cent, so we will still take more. Now we will even take a senate seat.

“We have done our best but the consensus won’t work. There are many seats we already had candidates for, before Kwankwaso joined, but now we will take them,” he added.

Waya also alleged that all other states adhered to the allocation formula, except Kano.

Allegations baseless – Kwankwasiyya

Responding, the spokesperson of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Habibu Saleh Mohammed, denied the allegations by the old party members, saying they were carried along throughout the candidates’ selection process.

He expressed shock that the party was raising the issue almost 10 days after the list of candidates had been agreed upon and announced.

“It is surprising hearing them raise this issue close to 10 days after concluding our primaries through consensus. Where were they all this while? It is also not true that they have been trying to reach out for their allocation, but were shut down,” he said.

On the next line of action, the spokesperson said the Movement was still studying the situation and would respond at the appropriate time.

Meanwhile, following the complaints that have trailed its primaries across states, the NDC has announced a series of measures aimed at strengthening internal democracy, enforcing accountability, and institutionalising the party as a formidable political platform ahead of future electoral contests.

The resolutions were reached at the party’s second National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting and contained in a statement issued on Saturday by the National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director.

According to the party, all governments elected on the platform of the NDC will be required to consult the party structure before making key policy decisions, appointments, and implementing programmes, except in cases involving personal staff appointments.

The party stressed that it remains supreme over individual interests, urging members to align their personal ambitions and activities with the collective goals and ideology of the NDC.

As part of efforts to strengthen party discipline, the NEC approved the establishment of a comprehensive Code of Conduct for party officials and candidates. A committee headed by the National Legal Adviser has been mandated to develop the framework and operational guidelines for the code.

The party also announced the inauguration of a National Reconciliation Committee tasked with engaging and reconciling aggrieved members following recent political activities and internal contests.

The NEC further resolved that all affiliated groups and non-governmental organisations associated with the party must operate under its guidance and control and should not function independently of, or parallel to, established party structures.

Reaffirming its commitment to long-term growth, the NDC declared that it is being built as a lasting institution rather than a personality-driven organisation, political movement, or special-purpose vehicle.

The party called on members to remain committed to its ideals and contribute to its sustainability for future generations, stressing that loyalty to the party and the national interest must take precedence over personal considerations.

‘Crisis may affect Obi–Kwankwaso ticket – Dr. Sufi

A political analyst and lecturer at the Kano State College of Arts, Science and Remedial Studies, Dr Kabiru Sa’id Sufi, has warned that the crisis in the party could undermine the chances of the party’s Obi–Kwankwaso presidential ticket.

He noted that the dispute in the state chapter stemmed from complaints by the original NDC members that they were sidelined in the consensus arrangement for elective positions.

He added that the intervention of the national body had escalated tensions between the Kwankwasiyya bloc and the party’s founding members.

“The ability to resolve the situation and for the two sides to make concessions is what will position the NDC as a stronger political party. But if dissatisfaction continues, it may even affect Kwankwaso’s posture and the chances of the party to perform well in the forthcoming elections,” he said.

Dr Sufi added that some members were already calling on their leaders to consider defecting if grievances were not addressed. He warned that defections from Kano, regarded as the party’s stronghold in northern Nigeria, would have direct consequences for the Obi–Kwankwaso ticket.

On whether the crisis was linked to external forces as alleged in some quarters, Dr Sufi said the problem was largely internal. “It may be about the party’s failure to resolve issues on time. The sooner they resolve it, the better for the NDC at both the state and national levels,” he said.