The Kaduna State chapter of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has declared support for a proposed presidential ticket involving Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso ahead of the 2027 general elections, expressing confidence that the alliance would unseat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) at both the state and national levels.
The declaration was made on Wednesday during the party’s first expanded joint executive committee meeting with local government and ward chairmen, alongside aspirants, in Kaduna.
The meeting drew governorship, National Assembly and House of Assembly aspirants, zonal executives, and local government and ward chairmen from the 23 local government areas of the state.
Speaking at the gathering, the Kaduna State Chairman of the party, Mordecai Ibrahim, said the NDC was formed to offer Nigerians what he described as “genuine hope” after years of hardship under the APC administration.
He accused successive APC governments since 2015 of worsening economic hardship, insecurity and poor governance across the country.
According to him, “We all know that the APC has dragged Nigeria and Nigerians 50 years backwards since it assumed power in 2015. Nigerians are indeed groaning today under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration like the children of Israel groaned under Pharaoh’s slavery.”
Ibrahim stated that the party had already established structures across the 255 wards in Kaduna State and was preparing to officially unveil its state secretariat.
“We may not have been heard, but we have taken time to build our foundation to be solid and deeply rooted underground. Now it is time to announce our presence in the state,” he said.
The chairman further disclosed that the party had increased its membership target from 500 to 1,500 persons per ward, with the aim of registering at least 1.5 million members across Kaduna State before October 31.
He also directed defectors from other political parties to submit resignation letters from their former parties before becoming eligible to contest elective positions on the NDC platform.
Expressing optimism about the party’s chances in the next elections, Ibrahim said the NDC was determined to produce the next governor of Kaduna State and also take over power at the centre in 2027.
“With the calibre of aspirants we have gathered in the state, and our presidential candidate which is now obvious, our destination in NDC is Aso Rock Villa in 2027,” he stated.
Speaking with journalists after the meeting, one of the governorship aspirants, Ibrahim Abdulkarim, said the gathering was organised to strengthen party structures and mobilise members ahead of future elections.
According to him, the party already has more than 30,000 officials across Kaduna State, adding that members had agreed to place the party’s interest above personal ambitions.
“What we are doing here today is to see ourselves, have a conversation with our aspirants and also put before us that the party is supreme and that we have to build the party for us to win the election, not only in Kaduna but everywhere,” he said.
Abdulkarim, an ICT expert, also claimed that the “Obidient Movement” had aligned with the party nationally, alleging that Obi had secured the NDC presidential ticket while Kwankwaso was being considered as his running mate.
“Our principal, Mr Peter Obi, has already secured the ticket for NDC and hopefully his running mate will be Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
“At least if you have these two people, every young man and young woman in Nigeria will believe this is exactly the kind of combination we want, people who care about education and are trying to lift young people,” he added.
The governorship aspirant also decried what he described as growing religious division in Kaduna State and urged residents to embrace unity.
“We want Kaduna to return to what it used to be. We believe the diversity God gave Kaduna is meant to give it an edge above other states,” he said.