The National Leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Seriake Dickson, has expressed sympathy with aspirants who participated in the party’s recently concluded primaries, acknowledging that the exercise was affected by some irregularities.
In a post shared on his official X account, Dickson said he had earlier addressed the issue in an interview, where he admitted that the primaries were not perfect and urged members to remain patient as the party continues to build its structures.
He explained that the challenges faced during the exercise were largely due to the party’s recent formation and the tight electoral timeline it had to operate within, including membership registration, congresses, primaries, and reconciliation efforts.
Dickson, a former governor of Bayelsa State, noted that complaints about irregularities were not unique to the NDC, arguing that similar issues have been recorded in other political parties due to the direct primary system in the Electoral Act.
He maintained that despite the concerns raised, the party performed reasonably well considering its size and the number of aspirants involved in the process.
The NDC leader also dismissed reports circulating on social media claiming that winners had already been announced from the primaries, stressing that no official list had been released by the party.
He urged the public to disregard such claims and await formal announcements through the appropriate party channels.
Dickson further revealed that the party had anticipated post-primary disputes and had set up a reconciliation committee to address grievances and work with state-level leaders to manage internal tensions.
He assured members that future primaries would be improved through the use of technology, noting that the recent exercise would be the last conducted manually.
The former governor also thanked party members for their financial support and sacrifices, describing the NDC as a self-funded political movement built on contributions from its supporters.
He called on members to close ranks and support the party’s candidates ahead of future elections, including its presidential team comprising Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
Dickson further urged state-level party leaders to actively support reconciliation efforts rather than shift blame, stressing the importance of unity as the party moves forward.
