A fierce internal struggle over the control of campaign funds and the composition of the campaign council has reportedly fractured the relationship between the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, forcing him to leave the country in frustration, according to sources who spoke to Podium Reporters.
The postponement of the NDC National Campaign Council inauguration, initially blamed on Obi’s “very tight overseas schedule,” was actually the result of a bitter disagreement with the party’s National Leader, Senator Seriake Dickson, insiders disclosed. The flashpoint centered on Obi’s submitted list of campaign council nominees, which included prominent online influencers and content creators. Dickson, however, rejected these nominees outright, insisting that a presidential campaign council was no place for “skit making or comedy show”. Obi reportedly argued that these individuals had earned their positions through grassroots mobilization, but the argument escalated until he stormed out.
The conflict runs deeper than personnel. The source revealed that Dickson was deeply uncomfortable with Obi’s plans to travel abroad to raise funds directly, bypassing the party’s designated accounts. This touches on a core principle the NDC has aggressively promoted: financial transparency and institutional supremacy. The party has repeatedly declared that it is being built “as an institution, not a personality cult, political movement, or Special Purpose Vehicle to be used and discarded”. Dickson has been a vocal enforcer of this rule, publicly stating that every donation must be domiciled in the party’s bank account to allow for auditing by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
According to insiders, Dickson reminded Obi’s supporters—the “Obidients”—of this directive from the start, vowing that the NDC would not repeat what he called the “Labour Party mistake,” where campaign funds were allegedly controlled outside the party structure. The political marriage of convenience is now under severe strain. A source close to the situation told Podium Reporters that Obi remains deeply unhappy with the turn of events. “Obi is still angry,” the source said. “He feels humiliated. He feels Dickson is treating him like a newcomer who has no say in his own campaign”.
The unfolding drama raises critical questions about the NDC’s ability to balance its stated commitment to institutional integrity with the political reality of managing a high-profile candidate like Obi. As the party insists on strict financial oversight and structural control, the risk of alienating its own flagbearer—and the formidable grassroots movement behind him—grows increasingly apparent. For now, all eyes are on whether this internal rift can be reconciled before it derails the party’s campaign entirely.