National Leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Seriake Dickson, has acknowledged that the party’s recently concluded primaries were affected by irregularities, while appealing to aggrieved aspirants and members to remain committed to the party’s long-term vision.
In a statement shared via his official X account on Thursday, Dickson expressed sympathy for aspirants dissatisfied with aspects of the exercise, admitting that the process was not without challenges.
Speaking on the outcome of the primaries, the former Bayelsa State governor said the party was managing the realities of rapid growth and operating within a compressed electoral timeline.
“Last night, I had an interview with Arise TV, where I sympathised with our aspirants over some noticeable irregularities in our just-concluded primaries. 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,” he said.
NDC Growth Cited as Major Challenge
Dickson stressed that the difficulties experienced during the primaries should be viewed within the context of the party’s relatively short existence.
According to him, the NDC is only four months old and has had to rapidly build political structures while complying with electoral timelines.
“We are just four months old and have been thrown into the middle of a very tight electoral timeframe, within which we had to carry out membership registration, congresses up to the national convention, primaries, appeal processes, and now the reconciliation phase,” he said.
He argued that even older and more established political parties have encountered similar challenges during internal elections.
Dickson Blames Direct Primary System
The NDC leader also criticised the compulsory direct primary system provided under the Electoral Act, describing it as a significant contributor to the complaints recorded during the exercise.
According to Dickson, concerns surrounding irregularities in direct primaries have become widespread across multiple political parties.
“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. Complaints about irregularities in direct primaries are pervasive across all parties and are not peculiar to the NDC,” he stated.
Despite the concerns raised by aspirants, Dickson maintained that the party performed reasonably well given its youthfulness and the volume of contestants involved in the process.
“As a matter of fact, considering the age of the NDC and the teeming number of aspirants we have had to manage, we have done quite well,” he said.
Warning Against False Results Claims
Dickson also addressed reports circulating online claiming that winners had already emerged from the primaries.
He dismissed the reports as misleading and urged party members and the public to await official communication from the party.
“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,” he said.
Reconciliation Committee Activated
To address post-primary grievances, Dickson disclosed that the party had already established a reconciliation framework before the primaries concluded.
He revealed that the National Executive Committee approved the creation of a Reconciliation Committee tasked with engaging stakeholders and resolving disputes arising from the exercise.
“In anticipation of these challenges, the 2nd NEC meeting approved the composition of a Reconciliation Committee to work with state caucus leaders and other stakeholders in managing grievances,” he said.
Technology-Driven Primaries Planned
Looking ahead, the former governor promised significant reforms to prevent a recurrence of the issues witnessed during the party’s maiden primaries.
According to him, future NDC primaries will rely heavily on technology rather than manual processes.
“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 said.
Call for Unity Ahead of Elections
Dickson thanked party members, donors and supporters for their sacrifices and financial contributions, noting that the NDC remains a self-funded political movement.
“I appreciate their donations, contributions, and sacrifices made on behalf of the party. They remain valuable members of our party regardless of the outcome of the primaries,” he said.
He also called on members to put aside differences and rally behind the party’s candidates as preparations intensify for the upcoming elections.
“We are in this together, and we are all committed to ensuring the success of our party and our presidential team, their Excellencies Peter Obi and Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso,” he said.
The NDC leader further urged state-level party officials to actively participate in reconciliation efforts rather than engage in blame-shifting.
“It is not a time to shift blame or dodge responsibilities. Since they midwifed and managed the process of the primaries, they should equally help in supporting the party in coordinating the reconciliation process,” he added.
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