A Niger Delta environmental activist and aspirant for the House of Representatives seat representing Warri Federal Constituency under the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Sheriff Mulade, has threatened legal action against the party, demanding ₦5 billion in damages over alleged irregularities in its candidate selection process.
Mulade expressed dissatisfaction with the party’s handling of its primaries, accusing it of abandoning the outcome of the election process in favour of what he described as an undisclosed method of selecting candidates.
In a statement released in Warri, the human rights advocate said he was surprised by the development, noting that many Nigerians had viewed the NDC as a political platform capable of offering solutions to the country’s challenges.
According to him, the party’s actions have raised concerns about transparency and fairness in its internal democratic processes.
The aspirant further alleged that the selection of candidates appeared to be influenced by financial considerations, claiming that preference was given to individuals who could afford higher nomination-related costs.
Mulade announced plans to seek legal redress, insisting that the party’s actions had negatively affected his political aspirations and undermined confidence in the process.
Despite his criticism, he acknowledged the leadership of the party and its National Leader, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, but argued that the leadership may have come under pressure from individuals with significant financial influence within the party structure.
The development is expected to generate fresh debate over internal party democracy and candidate selection procedures as political parties prepare for future elections.
