Seriake Dickson defends NDC primaries, says party not immune from post-primary disagreements

Former Bayelsa State Governor and National Democratic Congress (NDC) chieftain, Seriake Dickson, has defended the conduct of the party’s recently concluded primaries, acknowledging reported irregularities while insisting that the challenges are not unique to the NDC.

Speaking during an interview on Arise Television, Dickson sympathised with aspirants who expressed concerns over the exercise, noting that while the primaries were not perfect, members should appreciate the difficult circumstances under which the four-month-old party has been operating.

According to him, the NDC has had to navigate a compressed electoral timetable that included membership registration, congresses, national convention processes, primaries, appeals and reconciliation efforts within a short period.

Dickson argued that disputes arising from party primaries are common across Nigeria’s political landscape, blaming the situation partly on the Electoral Act’s provision for compulsory direct primaries.

“The complaints about irregularities in direct primaries are pervasive across all political parties and are not peculiar to the NDC,” he said, adding that even larger and more established parties have faced similar challenges.

He maintained that, given the party’s infancy and the large number of aspirants it managed, the NDC performed creditably during the exercise.

The former governor also dismissed reports circulating on social media claiming that winners had already emerged from the primaries, stressing that the party had not officially announced any candidates.

“No party announces primary election results like school results. The public should disregard claims in circulation and await formal communication through the appropriate channels,” he said.

Dickson disclosed that the party’s National Executive Committee had already approved a reconciliation committee to address grievances and work with state caucus leaders to restore unity ahead of the general elections.