Former Bayelsa State Governor and National Democratic Coalition (NDC) leader, Seriake Dickson, has acknowledged irregularities in the party’s recently concluded primaries but urged aggrieved aspirants and members to remain committed to the party’s collective vision ahead of the general elections.
Speaking during an interview on Arise Television on Tuesday night, Dickson said while the primaries were not perfect, the challenges encountered were understandable given the circumstances surrounding the emergence of the party and the tight electoral timetable.
According to him, the NDC, which is barely four months old, had been compelled to undertake membership registration, congresses, a national convention, primaries, appeals, and reconciliation efforts within a short period.
“I sympathise with our aspirants over some noticeable irregularities in our just-concluded primaries,” Dickson said, adding that members should bear with the party as it navigates challenges that have also affected larger and more established political parties.
The former governor argued that complaints arising from direct primaries are not peculiar to the NDC, blaming provisions of the Electoral Act that made direct primaries compulsory for political parties.
He noted that even major political parties have struggled with similar issues despite having greater institutional capacity and government backing.
Dickson maintained that the NDC had performed creditably despite its age and the large number of aspirants it had to accommodate across the country.
Addressing reports circulating on social media regarding winners of the primaries, the NDC chieftain dismissed such claims as unofficial, stressing that the party had not announced any final results.
“No party has announced any set of winners from its primaries, and neither has the NDC,” he stated. “The public should disregard any such claims in circulation and await the party’s formal submissions through the appropriate channels.”
To address grievances arising from the exercise, Dickson disclosed that the party’s second National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting had already approved the establishment of a reconciliation committee.
The committee, he said, would work with state caucus leaders and stakeholders to resolve disputes and strengthen unity within the party.
He also revealed plans to overhaul the party’s primary election process in future contests, promising that subsequent primaries would be technology-driven to eliminate many of the challenges experienced this year.
“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.
Dickson expressed appreciation to party members, supporters, and donors for their sacrifices and commitment, emphasizing that aspirants who did not emerge victorious remained valuable stakeholders in the party.
He reaffirmed support for the NDC presidential ticket led by Peter Obi and Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, urging members to avoid internal conflicts and rally behind all candidates of the party.
The former governor also called on state caucus leaders who coordinated the primaries to take responsibility for managing the reconciliation process, noting that many of the candidates emerged through recommendations from local stakeholders rather than the national leadership.
“It is not a time to shift blames or dodge responsibilities,” he said, urging party leaders across the country to work together to ensure the success of the NDC ahead of the elections.
The statement comes amid growing interest in the NDC’s emergence as a major opposition platform and follows concerns raised by some aspirants over the conduct of the party’s primaries.
