NDC leader admits primary irregularities, blames direct voting system

Seriake Dickson, the National Leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has acknowledged that the party's recently concluded primaries were marred by irregularities. Speaking on Arise TV, Dickson expressed sympathy for the aspirants who participated in the exercise, stating that while the primaries were not flawless, members should exercise patience as the party navigates these challenges.

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I sympathised with our aspirants over some noticeable irregularities in our just-concluded primaries. I noted that, while not claiming that the exercise was perfect, I urged all of them to bear with the party in view of the circumstances we are managing.

Dickson attributed many of the complaints to the direct primary system, which he believes was inappropriately mandated by the ruling party. He noted that such issues are not unique to the NDC, citing that larger and more established political parties have faced similar problems. The NDC, being only four months old, has had to manage a compressed electoral timeline, including membership registration, congresses, national conventions, primaries, and appeals.

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My views on the Electoral Act have been clear: the APC-led majority were wrong in foisting compulsory direct primaries on political parties and the country. Complaints about irregularities in direct primaries are pervasive across all parties and are not peculiar to the NDC.

Despite the concerns, Dickson maintained that the NDC has performed creditably given its age and the large number of aspirants involved. He dismissed reports circulating on social media that suggested winners had already been declared, emphasizing that the party has not announced any official results and urging the public to disregard such claims.

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As a matter of fact, considering the age of the NDC and the teeming number of aspirants we have had to manage, we have done quite well.

To manage post-primary grievances, the NDC has established a Reconciliation Committee. This committee, approved by the party's National Executive Committee (NEC), will work with state caucus leaders and other stakeholders to address the complaints. Dickson assured members that future primaries would see improvements, although the article text was cut off before detailing these planned enhancements.

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No party has announced any set of winners from its primaries, and neither has the NDC. The public should disregard any such claims in circulation, especially on social media, and await the party’s formal submissions through the appropriate channels.