Dickson admits mistakes in NDC primaries, appeals to upset aspirants

The National Leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Seriake Dickson, has expressed his sympathy to aspirants who took part in the party’s recent primaries. He admitted that the primaries had some issues.

In a post on his official X handle on Thursday, Dickson acknowledged that the primaries were not perfect. He asked members to be patient with the party as it deals with the challenges of its fast growth.

Last night, I spoke with Arise TV and shared my sympathy with our aspirants about the noticeable problems in our primaries. I said that while I am not saying the exercise was flawless, I encouraged all of them to be patient with the party given the circumstances we are facing,” he said.

Dickson pointed out that the problems in the primaries are not just for the NDC. He said that bigger and older political parties have faced similar challenges.

“We are just four months old and have found ourselves in a very tight electoral schedule. We had to handle membership registration, congresses, a national convention, primaries, appeal processes, and now the reconciliation stage,” he explained.

The former Governor of Bayelsa State linked many complaints about the primaries to the direct primary system required by the Electoral Act.

“I have been clear about my views on the Electoral Act: the APC-led majority was wrong to force compulsory direct primaries on political parties and the country. Complaints about problems in direct primaries are common in all parties and not just the NDC,” he said.

Despite the worries from some aspirants, Dickson said the NDC has done well considering its young age and the many aspirants it had to handle.

“As a matter of fact, considering how young the NDC is and the large number of aspirants we managed, we did quite well,” he said.

He also rejected reports on social media claiming that winners had already been declared from the party’s primaries.

“No party has announced any winners from its primaries, and neither has the NDC. The public should ignore any such claims going around, especially on social media, and wait for the party’s official announcements through the right channels,” he said.

Dickson added that the party had expected post-primary issues and had set up a system for reconciliation.

“To prepare for these challenges, the 2nd NEC meeting approved the formation of a Reconciliation Committee. This committee will work with state caucus leaders and others to handle complaints,” he stated.

The NDC leader reassured members that future primaries will improve with technology.

“This is our first set of primaries, and it will be the last to be done manually. The next primaries will use technology and will not have these issues,” he noted.

He thanked party members and supporters for their financial help and sacrifices. He described the NDC as a self-funded political movement without government backing.

“I appreciate their donations, contributions, and sacrifices for the party. They remain important members of our party no matter the outcome of the primaries,” he said.

The former governor called on members to unite and support the party’s candidates 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.

Dickson also urged party leaders at the state level to take part in the reconciliation process instead of pointing fingers.

“It is not a time to blame others or avoid responsibilities. Since they helped manage the primaries, they should also assist the party in coordinating the reconciliation process,” he added.