Who really owns NDC?

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By Luminous Jannamike, Abuja

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As political alignments ahead of the 2027 general election continue to shift, renewed attention has turned to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) following a series of legal and political developments. In June, the Federal High Court in Lokoja, Kogi State, stunned sections of the opposition when it set aside its December 2025 judgment directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the NDC as a political party, although that decision has since been overturned on appeal.

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The legal twists have revived questions first raised months ago about the forces behind the emerging party. They have also rekindled interest in an earlier Saturday Vanguard report, which quoted insider sources expressing fears that the NDC could face internal sabotage after the emergence of its eventual presidential candidate and alleging that some individuals associated with the project maintained close relationships with influential figures in the ruling establishment.

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Those claims have not been independently verified. Even so, the developments have continued to fuel public debate over the independence of emerging opposition platforms and whether ‘fifth columnists’ could undermine efforts to build a formidable coalition ahead of 2027.

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Below is what Saturday Vanguard published on 9 May under the headline, ‘

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2027: Who owns NDC? Fear of moles rocking party spreads.’

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Fresh anxiety is quietly spreading within sections of the opposition coalition amid growing concerns that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) may already have individuals sympathetic to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, within its wider support network.

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The unease emerged following the collapse of the ADC coalition arrangement involving former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra State governor Peter Obi, with some insiders warning that the NDC may not eventually become the independent opposition platform many supporters expect.

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Multiple sources familiar with ongoing coalition discussions told Saturday Vanguard that some political actors had become increasingly cautious about the emerging Obi-Atiku split and the rush into the NDC platform.

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One source said there were fears that influential figures linked to the party maintained close relationships with elements within the ruling establishment.

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“We have to be very, very careful about this Obi-Atiku split because there’s a game being played by the APC that many people are not aware,” the source said.

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“Even the NDC that they are running to. Do you know who owns the NDC? The man pulling the strings behind this thing is a former lawmaker who is a key member of the APC and enjoys access to the State House, Aso Villa.

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“The close supporters of the NDC are the PDP-APC people. So we will see what will happen. It’s only a matter of time.”

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The source added that the situation could become clearer once the ongoing round of party primaries and internal alignments are concluded later this month.

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The allegations could not be independently verified as of press time, and no evidence has publicly emerged linking the NDC leadership to the APC or the Presidency.

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However, another source involved in the wider opposition talks said the unease within some camps was being driven by fears that “moles” could eventually weaken efforts to build the NDC into a united opposition front ahead of 2027.

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According to the source, the concern was less about the formal founders of the party and more about some influential supporters and political associates believed to have longstanding ties within the APC power structure. “The concern is not necessarily about the founders,” the source said.

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“It is about some major supporters and people around the project who are believed to have sympathies or strong relationships within the Presidency and the APC establishment.”

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The development comes as opposition leaders intensify talks and political realignments following recent defections and coalition negotiations involving key figures across several parties ahead of the 2027 elections.

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