Abuja – The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) on Monday issued a strong rebuttal to circulating claims that its National Leader, Senator Seriake Dickson, is working covertly with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to sabotage the party’s presidential ticket of Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
In a statement signed by National Publicity Secretary Osa Director, the party dismissed the allegations as “beer-parlour talk and murmurs” that risked being accepted as truth if left unchallenged.
“Our National Leader, Distinguished Senator Seriake Dickson, is not a front for the ruling APC or anyone else. He has no secret or open deal whatsoever with the ruinous and diabolical APC regime,” the statement read.
The NDC insisted that anyone familiar with Dickson’s public service record would find it absurd to link him to any under-the-table arrangement aimed at undermining his own party’s presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, and running mate, Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
“Senator Dickson could have taken the easy way out by joining the APC. Instead, he chose the hard, honourable path of building a party with like-minds, a party that will liberate Nigeria from the vice grip of the buccaneers currently in power,” the party added.
The denial comes amid persistent speculation and internal tensions within the NDC over control of campaign structures and the balance of power between the party’s established leadership and the high-profile Obi-Kwankwaso ticket.
Dickson, a former governor of Bayelsa State, founded the NDC and played a central role in inviting Obi and Kwankwaso to the platform after they left the African Democratic Congress (ADC). Obi emerged as the party’s presidential candidate, with Kwankwaso as his running mate, for the 2027 general elections.
However, relations have been strained at times. In September, Dickson publicly criticised the Obi-Kwankwaso (OK) Movement for independently setting up a 59-member Presidential Campaign Council, describing the move as “unheard of” and “nonsensical.” He argued that support groups should mobilise voters and complement the party rather than create parallel structures that compete with official party organs.
The OK Movement pushed back, insisting on the independence of its structures and rejecting any suggestion that it should surrender its identity or organisation to the NDC. Some analysts and anonymous sources have pointed to these frictions as evidence of deeper mistrust, with claims that Dickson views the strong personal followings of Obi and Kwankwaso as potential threats to his influence within the party.
Earlier reports also highlighted internal disputes in the North-West over ticket allocations, with some executives blaming Kwankwaso for alleged dominance, while other commentaries suggested mutual suspicions among the three principal figures — Obi, Kwankwaso, and Dickson — over long-term political calculations.
Despite these undercurrents, Dickson has repeatedly affirmed commitment to the ticket. He has met with Obi and Kwankwaso on several occasions to discuss party matters and campaign preparations, and has urged supporters to close ranks and focus on defeating the APC in 2027. In recent days, he engaged with Obi-Kwankwaso diaspora leaders in London, calling for greater coordination in mobilising Nigerians abroad.
The NDC describes itself as Nigeria’s largest and fastest-growing opposition party. It has positioned the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket as a credible alternative to the APC administration of President Bola Tinubu, focusing on issues of insecurity, economic hardship, and governance.
No independent evidence has been publicly presented to substantiate claims of a secret deal between Dickson and the APC. The party’s statement frames the rumours as deliberate attempts to sow discord within the opposition ranks ahead of the 2027 polls.
As political activities intensify, the ability of the NDC leadership, its presidential candidates, and associated support groups to manage internal differences will be closely watched. For now, the party leadership has drawn a firm line: Senator Seriake Dickson remains fully committed to the NDC and its Obi-Kwankwaso ticket, with no allegiance to the ruling party.
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