A fresh crisis has erupted within the Nigeria Democratic Congress in Kano State following the withdrawal of several elective tickets earlier allocated to allies of former Kano State Governor, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
The development has exposed growing divisions between longstanding members of the party and supporters of the Kwankwasiyya Movement who joined the NDC alongside Kwankwaso ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Party sources said both factions had initially agreed on a power-sharing arrangement that would allocate 60 per cent of party positions and electoral tickets to the Kwankwasiyya bloc, while existing party members would retain 40 per cent.
However, discontent resurfaced shortly after candidates emerged through a consensus process, with some founding members accusing the Kwankwasiyya camp of failing to honour the agreement.
The disagreement reportedly prompted party leaders in Kano to revise the allocation of some positions, resulting in the reassignment of five House of Representatives tickets and seven state assembly candidacies previously linked to the Kwankwaso camp.
The changes were contained in a document reportedly endorsed by the Kano State chairman of the party, Hussaini Isah Mairiga, and circulated to key stakeholders within the NDC leadership.
Party insiders alleged that members of the Kwankwasiyya faction secured most of the available positions despite the earlier understanding reached by both camps, a situation they said fuelled resentment among older party members.
The latest dispute is the continuation of tensions that trailed Kwankwaso's entry into the party. Shortly after his defection, disagreements emerged over control of the party structure in Kano, with the state leadership resisting attempts to hand over authority to the former governor's supporters.
The intervention of the national leadership eventually produced a compromise that allowed Mairiga to remain chairman while accommodating nominees from the Kwankwasiyya Movement in other leadership positions.
Speaking on the controversy, the Kano NDC spokesman, Ibrahim Waya, accused the Kwankwasiyya bloc of ignoring repeated complaints raised by founding members of the party.
According to him, the positions reclaimed by the party were still below the 40 per cent allocation earlier agreed upon, warning that more adjustments could follow unless the imbalance was corrected.
Waya maintained that party members who built the structure before the arrival of the Kwankwasiyya Movement deserved fair representation in both party affairs and elective positions.
But the spokesperson for the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Habibu Saleh Mohammed, dismissed the allegations, insisting that all stakeholders were adequately consulted throughout the candidate selection process.
He expressed surprise that objections were being raised several days after the completion of the consensus exercise and the public announcement of candidates.
Mohammed also denied claims that members of the movement ignored attempts at dialogue by party officials and supporters of the old guard.
Amid the growing controversy, the NDC's National Executive Committee announced measures aimed at strengthening internal democracy and party discipline.
The resolutions, contained in a statement issued by the party's National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, included the establishment of a code of conduct for party officials and candidates, as well as the inauguration of a reconciliation committee to address grievances arising from recent political activities.
The party further emphasised that elected officials on its platform would be expected to maintain close consultation with party structures in the discharge of their responsibilities.
Meanwhile, political analyst and lecturer at Kano State College of Arts, Science and Remedial Studies, Dr Kabiru Sa'id Sufi, warned that the lingering dispute could weaken the party's electoral prospects.
He noted that unresolved disagreements between the founding members and the Kwankwasiyya bloc could undermine cohesion within the party and negatively affect the proposed Obi-Kwankwaso alliance ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Sufi added that failure to address the grievances of aggrieved members could trigger defections, particularly in Kano, a state widely considered crucial to the party's ambitions in northern Nigeria.
He urged the leadership of the NDC to resolve the conflict quickly to prevent further damage to the party's unity and electoral chances.
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