The Chairman of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Anambra State, David Chukwudifu, has warned that the party may struggle to win even a single ward for its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, in the 2027 general elections if the alleged marginalisation of existing party executives continues.
Chukwudifu accused Obi and his associates of sidelining the party’s established leadership in Anambra State while allowing a separate group to conduct political activities without involving the state, local government and ward structures.
He said the situation had weakened the party’s organisation in the South-East state and could undermine its chances in the next general elections.
The NDC chairman made the allegations while discussing the reported crisis between the party’s existing leadership and supporters of Obi, who joined the party on May 3, 2026, ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
According to Chukwudifu, the dispute is not the result of a personal disagreement with Obi, whom he said he had never met directly, but what he described as the failure of the presidential candidate and his associates to recognise the party executives already in place.
He explained that he conducted the party’s state congress on May 4, a day after Obi joined the NDC, before attending the party’s national convention in Abuja on May 9.
Chukwudifu said he remained in Abuja after the convention and made several attempts, alongside members of his state working committee, to contact Obi.
However, he claimed that their calls and messages did not receive a response.
“I would not call it a disagreement. I would rather describe it as ill-treatment of me and the state executives of the party because Peter Obi and I have never sat down to discuss anything,” he said.
The chairman alleged that the situation became more complicated when another group began selling nomination forms, screening aspirants and conducting a primary election without consulting his leadership.
He identified Chris McCool Nwosu, whom he said was from Anambra South, as one of those involved in the process.
He also mentioned Ikem Uzoezie, a former member of the Anambra State House of Assembly under the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), who reportedly convened a meeting of aspirants in Awka.
Chukwudifu claimed that the individuals involved had moved with Obi from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to the NDC and subsequently began operating independently of the existing state leadership.
He maintained that the development had left the executives elected through the party’s established processes without meaningful involvement in its political activities.
The chairman further alleged that some of those now managing the party’s affairs in Anambra had previously belonged to the Labour Party and APGA.
He said the group had been operating from hotels before his faction inaugurated its own office.
Chukwudifu also rejected suggestions that his earlier public comments about Obi indicated a personal relationship between them.
He explained that, after becoming state chairman, he had spoken in an interview about Obi’s well-known political philosophy of creating a country where people could rise through merit rather than personal connections.
He said his comments were intended to express support for that philosophy and did not mean that he had personally known the former Anambra governor.
According to him, the leadership crisis reflects what he considers a pattern of political operations associated with Obi and his allies in previous parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party and ADC.
He alleged that a similar approach had now been brought into the NDC.
The chairman also described an alleged telephone conversation involving Obi and an associate of the presidential candidate.
Chukwudifu said the associate contacted Obi on speakerphone, during which Obi reportedly indicated that he would not work with the existing executives and suggested that the chairman could seek legal redress if he wished.
However, the dispute reportedly took another turn on June 27, 2026, when Obi met one of the NDC local government chairmen along the Benin-Asaba Road.
Chukwudifu said Obi denied being aware that the party executives were being sidelined and directed the local government chairman to liaise with Senator Tony Nwoye.
He claimed that Nwoye subsequently disputed the man’s position as chairman of his local government.
According to Chukwudifu, no further contact was made with the local government chairman or members of his faction after the encounter.
The NDC chairman said the disagreement had affected the party’s ability to mobilise supporters and coordinate activities across Anambra State.
He explained that people continued to contact him through the party’s online portal to ask about meetings, volunteering opportunities and other activities, but he had been unable to provide clear information because of the unresolved crisis.
He described the situation as destabilising, claiming that much of the party’s activity was now taking place online rather than through an effective physical structure across the state.
Chukwudifu also alleged that Obi had not visited the NDC secretariat in Anambra since becoming the party’s presidential candidate.
He said several individuals, including some of Obi’s kinsmen, had promised to help arrange a meeting, but the efforts had not produced any outcome.
The chairman said he had taken steps to resolve the matter through the party’s internal dispute-resolution mechanisms before considering legal action.
He explained that he wrote to the relevant party authorities on May 26 and 27, 2026, asking them to intervene in accordance with the NDC constitution.
According to him, the complaints were sent through email, text messages and WhatsApp, while copies were also dispatched from Anambra to Abuja through DHL and delivered to the party secretariat.
Chukwudifu said the letters were addressed to the party’s National Chairman and National Secretary, but he had yet to receive a response.
He added that the party’s zonal and national appeal structures were expected to address internal disputes before members resorted to court proceedings.
However, he expressed concern that political interests surrounding the presidential candidate’s home state might be making it difficult for the national leadership to intervene effectively.
The chairman warned that the crisis could have serious consequences for the NDC ahead of the 2027 elections, particularly because of the strength of APGA in Anambra State.
APGA has maintained a dominant position in the state since taking power in 2006.
Chukwudifu said the party’s established grassroots presence would make the contest difficult for the NDC, especially if its own members remained divided.
He also pointed to the political tension between Obi and the state government as another reason the NDC needed a coordinated and effective campaign structure.
“We already know that we are the opposition party in Anambra. APGA has been ruling the state for almost 24 years and has a strong political structure. It will be a major party to contend with in any election,” he said.
Chukwudifu argued that political parties could not afford to alienate members or supporters, insisting that every vote could influence an election outcome.
He said party leaders should accommodate different interests rather than push people away over internal disagreements.
He questioned the alleged removal of 326 ward chairmen, 21 local government chairmen and 29 members of the state working committee, asking how the party could build a strong electoral structure after excluding such a large number of officials.
The chairman maintained that the existing executives needed to be recognised and involved in the party’s activities if the NDC hoped to compete effectively in Anambra in 2027.
“We cannot achieve anything in Anambra if the party continues on this path,” he said.
