The founder and national leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Seriake Dickson, has cautioned supporters of the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, against attacking the party and its leadership, describing such actions as counterproductive to Obi’s presidential ambition.
Speaking during an interview with ARISE NEWS on Wednesday, Dickson dismissed claims of a crisis within the NDC and insisted that the party remains united despite disagreements arising from its recent primary elections.
Reacting to criticisms from some Obi supporters, Dickson argued that it was illogical for individuals who want the former Anambra State governor to win the presidency to undermine the platform on which he is contesting.
“You cannot be supporting Peter Obi, if you are genuinely supporting him, and you are disparaging me, the leader, or the platform itself. That is nonsensical,” Dickson said.
“I don’t know what these supporters gain by disparaging a platform that their so-called… the person they are supporting is running on.”
According to him, the NDC remains the vehicle through which Obi and his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, hope to secure victory in the 2027 presidential election.
“Now, NDC is the vehicle that will take Peter Obi and Kwankwaso to the Villa. So if they understand the processes, even if there’s no gratitude to those who set up the NDC and offered it, they should know that they are hurting themselves if they run down the platform,” he warned.
Dickson also sought to dispel reports of internal turmoil within the party, saying the growing interest in the NDC should not be mistaken for instability.
“The NDC leadership is intact, and there’s no crisis whatsoever. There’s even no crisis of confidence. And a lot of Nigerians believe in us,” he stated.
While acknowledging complaints from some aspirants over the conduct of the party’s primaries, Dickson admitted that the process was not perfect but attributed the challenges to the demands of direct primaries and a tight electoral timetable.
“We feel what they feel. They feel some of the processes were not perfect. And I will be one of the first to admit that, yes, direct primaries—in the way and manner the Electoral Act stipulated—have created a crisis,” he said.
The former Bayelsa State governor also addressed allegations that activist Aisha Yesufu was mistreated during the party’s internal processes. Without referring to any specific incident, he maintained that the NDC remains open to all members and does not operate a system of exclusion.
“Can you define the nature of the ill-treatment? Because there are people who, maybe because they’re popular on social media and well-known, they may not want to play by the rules,” Dickson said.
“As for today, Aisha Yesufu is a member of our party, and we welcome her.”
Dickson further rejected claims that the NDC awards tickets based on financial strength, insisting that while resources are important in politics, the party does not sell nominations to the highest bidder.
“But let me tell you as a fact, the NDC does not sell nomination forms to people based on how much they have,” he said.
He also revealed that Obi and Kwankwaso joined the party without any financial obligation and are working closely with the leadership to strengthen the platform.
“Obi and Kwankwaso did not pay one naira. We are working together. He’s our presidential candidate, and he’s a running mate, and we’re working on building it together,” Dickson said.
The senator expressed confidence that the NDC would remain united ahead of the 2027 elections, arguing that growing public dissatisfaction with insecurity, economic hardship and governance challenges has strengthened the demand for political change.
