The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) is intensifying its preparations for the 2027 general elections, with former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi and former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso leading its presidential ticket.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) listed Obi as the NDC’s presidential candidate and Kwankwaso as his running mate in its final list of 18 presidential candidates for the January 2027 election.
The pairing brings together two opposition politicians who contested separately in the 2023 presidential election under different political parties.
Obi contested under the Labour Party, while Kwankwaso represented the New Nigeria Peoples Party.
Their joint ticket has since become the centre of the NDC’s campaign preparations as political parties organise their structures ahead of the next general election.
NDC Unveils National Campaign Council
As part of its preparations, the NDC constituted a National Campaign Council to coordinate its activities and oversee nationwide mobilisation.
The council is chaired by former Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, while Obi serves as co-chairman.
The party’s National Chairman, Senator Cleopas Moses Zuwoghe, was named vice-chairman, with Kwankwaso serving as co-vice-chairman.
Other appointments include Ibrahim Hussain Abdulkarim as Director-General of the presidential campaign and Ikenna Morgan Enekweizu as council secretary.
The party also announced a 40-member National Campaign Advisory Council and state campaign coordinators to support its mobilisation efforts.
According to the NDC, the structure is intended to provide strategic leadership, coordinate campaign activities and promote its proposed vision of a people-centred and issue-based campaign.
Obi Calls for Stronger Voter Participation
Beyond campaign organisation, Obi has continued to emphasise voter mobilisation and the protection of votes ahead of the 2027 elections.
During a global digital town hall in October, the NDC presidential candidate urged Nigerians to remain at their polling units after voting until ballots had been counted.
He also encouraged supporters to organise polling agents across the country to monitor the electoral process.
Obi said his campaign was working towards establishing a system that would allow results recorded at polling units to be transmitted to its own situation room alongside the official INEC transmission process.
The proposed arrangement, he said, would provide an additional means of monitoring results and identifying discrepancies.
The party’s mobilisation efforts reflect concerns about electoral transparency and the need for stronger participation by citizens and political representatives.
However, the NDC’s proposed system would operate separately from INEC’s official responsibility for conducting and declaring election results.
Economic Hardship and Insecurity Feature in Campaign Debate
The NDC has placed issues including corruption, insecurity, unemployment, education, electricity supply and national unity among the concerns it says require attention.
The party’s supporters have also criticised the Federal Government over rising living costs and economic hardship.
The issues are expected to feature prominently in political discussions as parties present their positions ahead of the election.
However, the opposition’s criticisms remain political assessments that should be examined against independently verified economic and security data.
The Tinubu administration has defended its economic reforms, arguing that they are intended to improve long-term stability and strengthen public finances.
INEC Lists 18 Presidential Candidates
INEC’s updated presidential candidate list, published on October 31, 2026, contains 18 presidential tickets for the January 16, 2027 election.
The NDC ticket features Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, while President Bola Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima represent the All Progressives Congress.
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi are listed as the African Democratic Congress ticket.
Other political parties also have candidates and running mates on the commission’s list.
With the electoral timetable advancing, parties are expected to strengthen their campaign structures, mobilise supporters and prepare for the election.
For the NDC, the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket and its nationwide campaign organisation will form the centre of its efforts to present an alternative political platform to Nigerian voters.
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