The Kaduna State chapter of the National Democratic Congress on Wednesday declared support for a proposed presidential ticket involving Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso ahead of the 2027 general elections, vowing to unseat the ruling All Progressives Congress at both state and national levels.
The party made the declaration during its first expanded joint executive committee meeting with local government and ward chairmen, as well as aspirants, held in Kaduna, the state capital.
The meeting had in attendance the party’s governorship, National Assembly and House of Assembly aspirants, zonal executives, and local government and ward chairmen drawn from the 23 local government areas of Kaduna State.
Speaking at the gathering, the Kaduna State Chairman of the party, Mordecai Ibrahim, said the NDC had come to provide Nigerians with what he described as “genuine hope” after years of hardship under the APC-led administration.
He accused successive APC administrations since 2015 of plunging the country into economic hardship, insecurity and poor governance.
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 Tinubu’s administration like the children of Israel groaned under Pharaoh’s slavery.”
The chairman said the party had already established structures across the 255 wards in Kaduna State and was preparing to formally 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.
Ibrahim disclosed that the party had raised 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 members defecting from other political parties to submit resignation letters from their former parties before becoming eligible to contest elective positions on the platform of the NDC.
The chairman expressed confidence that the party would 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 shortly after the meeting, Ibrahim Abdulkarim, one of the party’s governorship aspirants, said the gathering was convened to strengthen the party’s structures and prepare members for the forthcoming elections.
The aspirant, who said the party already had over 30,000 officials across Kaduna State, added that members had resolved 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, further disclosed that the “Obidient movement” had aligned with the party nationally, claiming 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 lamented what he described as increasing religious division in Kaduna State and called for unity among residents.
“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.
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