Kwankwaso Accused of Tight Grip on Party Nominations as Internal Rift Deepens in NDC

A fresh political controversy has erupted within the New Democratic Coalition (NDC) following allegations that Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso is attempting to monopolize party structures and candidate selection processes in Kano State, triggering tension among senior party officials.

The allegations were made in a strongly worded statement issued by Mohammed Rabiu Serina, the NDC North-West Vice Chairman, and Hussaini Isa Mariga, the Kano State Chairman, who warned that the internal crisis could threaten the unity and credibility of the party ahead of future elections.

According to Serina, the dispute dates back to the integration of Kwankwaso into the party’s structure, which was initially welcomed under the directive of the National Leader, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson. Henry Seriake Dickson had reportedly instructed party stakeholders to accommodate Kwankwaso and work collaboratively to strengthen the party.

However, tensions escalated during subsequent congresses when Kwankwaso allegedly sought full control of the Kano State party machinery, a move that was partially resolved through an internal power-sharing arrangement said to allocate 60 percent of the structure to his camp and 40 percent to the wider party establishment.

Despite this arrangement, Serina alleged that the crisis resurfaced during the nomination process for state and federal legislative positions. He claimed that access to nomination forms was effectively restricted to individuals aligned with Kwankwaso’s political movement, leaving out other aspirants and party officials.

“We resisted attempts to exclude other stakeholders in the interest of fairness and inclusivity,” Serina said, adding that multiple appeals and interventions by the National Working Committee failed to resolve the impasse.

The statement further alleged that Kwankwaso declined proposals to share nomination opportunities across party blocs, insisting instead on maintaining exclusive control over candidate selection within the state.

Party officials also accused the former Kano governor of threatening to leave the party if his demands were not fully met, raising fears of a possible defection that could destabilize the party’s electoral strength in the North-West.

In a further escalation, the party leaders insisted that no individual or faction should dominate internal processes or turn party affiliation into a condition for political participation, warning that such practices could undermine democratic principles within the organization.

The statement also addressed financial allegations, clarifying that all nomination-related payments were made through official party accounts and denying any personal financial dealings with Kwankwaso.

The controversy now places the NDC leadership under pressure to intervene and restore unity, as stakeholders warn that unresolved internal disputes could weaken the party’s chances in upcoming elections.

So far, there has been no public response from Kwankwaso regarding the allegations.