The Nigeria Democratic Congress’ national leadership in Abuja is bracing for a mass exodus of members across the North-West, Peoples Gazette can report, as the party’s monthslong struggle to pacify competing blocs within its ranks fell through this week.

All members of the party’s executive committee in the region are expected to resign their appointments and find a new political movement to call home, The Gazette heard from senior NDC officials. The move could devastate the NDC, which has risen sharply in profile since it was formed in February 2026.

Peter Obi, the party’s presidential candidate, and Seriake Dickson, its national chairman, have been briefed on the mass defection, which became imminent on Monday afternoon and could occur as early as this week.

NDC North-West Vice-Chairman Mohammed Rabiu Serina and Kano State Chairman Hussaini Isa Mariga are expected to leave the party over the crisis, The Gazette heard.

The executives are blaming Rabiu Kwankwaso, Mr Obi’s running mate, over what they saw as his refusal to allow fair distribution of the party’s tickets to politicians seeking elective offices in 2027.

“Mr Kwankwaso has refused to let other executives put forward their suggested candidates for offices,” an official said under anonymity to remark on NDC’s internal affairs. “He nominated candidates of his choice for all the positions from state assembly in Kano to federal offices.”

Mr Kwankwaso gave all 40 tickets for the Kano State House of Assembly to his allies, even as he bought tickets for other allies in the Peoples Redemption Party, hedging his bets against a potential crash in popularity for the NDC before Nigerians head to the ballot box.

Mr Serina said he was considering his options but did not categorically admit readiness to leave the NDC. Mr Kwankwaso did not return a request seeking comments.

Millions of Nigerians have recently joined the NDC after Mr Obi became its standard-bearer for the 2027 election, seeking to defeat President Bola Tinubu. The three-way race with former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress is expected to fragment existing voting blocs. Mr Abubakar is believed to be popular in the North, while Messrs Obi and Tinubu are anticipating a huge chunk of their support to come from the South, breaking as the South-East and South-West, respectively.

Mr Dickson, who founded the NDC and invited Mr Obi to fly its presidential banner, is said to be seething over Mr Kwankwaso’s intransigence, The Gazette heard.

Mr Dickson, party officials said, has tried to pacify all disgruntled members, especially Messrs Serina and Mariga, who had toiled broadly to welcome northern members and render the party appealing to the larger north-western populations before Mr Kwankwaso registered his membership.

“Mr Kwankwaso was invited into the party, but now he wants to take everything away from the people who laboured to make the party formidable in the North-West,” another official said. “We’re seeing this as a sabotage.”

Mr Kwankwaso, a former minister, governor and senator, has dominated Kano politics since Nigeria returned to civil rule in 1999, moving from one political platform to another. Nonetheless, he has failed to financially contribute to the NDC, an official said, but his political outreach was expected to help the party’s fortunes in its first general election outing.

“We heard he has money, but he hasn’t even bothered to support the party in the region or anywhere in the country,” one official said. “But his appeal in the region could count ultimately.”

Mr Kwankwaso has long had his sights set on the Nigerian presidency, but his rigid political beliefs have thwarted his previous efforts to form a political coalition with national appeal.

But the question looming over his alliance with Mr Obi, a southern Christian, remains largely over whether Mr Kwankwaso won’t be seen as undercutting his political influence in his North-West region, which has the largest voting population in the country.

An associate said Mr Kwankwaso has been loyal to the NDC, but he did not want to comment publicly in order to leave his options open before the election deadlines.

The mass resignation being planned by Messrs Serina and Mariga could see NDC’s support in the region collapse, even though it is a new political entity aiming for national name recognition, and Mr Kwankwaso may ultimately decide to stand down as Mr Obi’s running mate.

NDC spokesman Osa Director said he was “unaware” of a potential mass defection by party members across the North-West.

“To the best of my knowledge, my party is not facing anything different from what parties all over the world face in terms of politics,” Mr Director told The Gazette on Tuesday. “Disagreement arises, and at the end of it, we settle it.”