The national leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Seriake Dickson, has appealed to party members and supporters to avoid internal conflicts and remain united as the party prepares for the 2027 general election.
Dickson made the appeal in a statement issued on Thursday following an interview on ARISE TV, where he addressed concerns surrounding alleged irregularities in the party’s recently concluded primary elections.
The former Bayelsa State governor acknowledged that some aspirants were dissatisfied with aspects of the primaries but urged them to remain committed to the party despite the challenges encountered.
“Last night, I had an interview with Arise TV, where I sympathised with our aspirants over some noticeable irregularities in our just-concluded primaries,” Dickson said.
“I noted that, while not claiming that the exercise was perfect, I urged all of them to bear with the party in view of the circumstances we are managing, which have overwhelmed even bigger parties.”
According to him, the NDC, which is only about four months old, has been compelled to undertake membership registration, congresses, a national convention, primary elections, and appeal processes within a relatively short timeframe.
Dickson attributed some of the difficulties experienced during the primaries to provisions of Nigeria’s Electoral Act, particularly the requirement for direct primaries.
“I identified the root cause of these challenges. My views on the Electoral Act have been clear: the APC-led majority were wrong in foisting compulsory direct primaries on political parties and the country,” he stated.
The senator argued that complaints regarding irregularities are not unique to the NDC, noting that similar concerns have been raised by members of other political parties during their internal electoral processes.
He also cautioned members and the public against relying on unofficial results circulating on social media, insisting that the party had not officially announced any winners from the primaries.
“I also noted that no party has announced any set of winners from its primaries, and neither has the NDC. The public should disregard any such claims in circulation, especially on social media, and await the party’s formal submissions through the appropriate channels,” Dickson said.
The NDC leader disclosed that the party’s National Executive Committee had approved the establishment of a reconciliation committee to address complaints and grievances arising from the primaries.
According to him, the party intends to improve future internal electoral processes through technology-driven systems.
“As I have stated before, this is our first set of primaries, and it will also be the last to be conducted manually. The next primaries will be technologically driven and will have none of these issues,” he added.
Dickson further stressed the importance of party unity and urged members to rally behind all candidates emerging from the party’s electoral process.
“I advise all members and supporters to avoid meaningless quarrels and infighting. Everyone should support our candidates, from the Presidency down to the least elective office,” he said.
The senator also reaffirmed his support for the NDC presidential ticket led by Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, describing their partnership as a collective political project that requires discipline, cooperation, and unity to succeed in the 2027 elections.
