The senator and national leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Seriake Dickson, says efforts are underway to integrate members of the Kwankwasiyya and Obidient movements into the party’s structure nationwide.
Dickson made the disclosure after hosting Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and other senior party figures at his residence on Tuesday, as part of ongoing consultations aimed at resolving internal disagreements among stakeholders.
The meeting followed controversy sparked by an NDC statement issued on June 7, which directed all affiliated groups and non-governmental organisations to operate strictly under the party’s authority and not function independently of its structure.
The party also stressed that it is not a “personality cult” or a “special purpose vehicle to be used and discarded”, a remark that generated reactions within both the Kwankwasiyya and Obidient camps, associated with Kwankwaso and Peter Obi respectively.
Addressing the concerns, Dickson said discussions with party leaders were focused on strengthening unity, particularly in Kano State, where efforts are ongoing to harmonise relations between party officials and the state leader, who also serves as the NDC’s vice-presidential candidate.
The former Bayelsa governor said the party’s rapid rise as a leading opposition force naturally comes with differing interests and disagreements.
“The NDC is fast emerging as the leading opposition party in Nigeria, and as with every growing political movement, disagreements and clashes of interest are inevitable,” Dickson said.
“We are accustomed to managing such challenges through dialogue, consultation and reconciliation.”
He dismissed allegations of candidate imposition within the party, maintaining that the NDC has consistently allowed democratic processes to determine candidates across the country.
“At no time have we imposed candidates on any state, not even in my home state of Bayelsa,” he said.
Dickson described his discussions with Kwankwaso and other stakeholders as productive and expressed confidence that all parties would remain committed to the party’s goals.
He also emphasised that the Kwankwasiyya and Obidient movements remain valuable support groups whose members would be incorporated into party structures at various levels.
According to him, he had already met with representatives of the Obidient Movement and assured them of participation in party activities and leadership structures.
He added that the same integration process would be extended to members of the Kwankwasiyya Movement once their list of coordinators is submitted to the party.