NDC primaries: Leadership moves to heal wounds, avert defections

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) is actively working to heal internal rifts and prevent potential defections by reconciling aggrieved aspirants after its recent primaries. The party is focused on uniting its members ahead of the crucial 2027 general elections.

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From an observer’s point of view, we expect internal reconciliation to smoothen some of the rough edges and some of the issues that arose during the primaries.

Patrice Akwara, an NDC chieftain, stated on Arise Television that reconciliation committees have been established at both national and regional levels. These committees are tasked with addressing the concerns of aspirants who may feel disappointed after investing significant resources in their campaigns. Akwara emphasized the party's commitment to persuading these members to remain and contribute to the NDC's success.

Akwara described the current challenges as normal "teething problems" for a relatively new political organization. He expressed confidence that internal reconciliation would smooth out issues that arose during the primaries, comparing the NDC's situation to that of any new entity navigating its initial stages. The committees aim to "weave the party together" by resolving potential sources of division.

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NDC is a very new organisation and, like every newborn baby or every new organisation, there are always teething problems. NDC is not immune to such things.

Regarding reports of candidates' names missing from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) portal, Akwara attributed this to technical glitches during the uploading process. He assured that affected candidates would be properly registered, citing statutory provisions for corrections. The party leadership, including Senator Seriake Dickson, has reportedly made arrangements to retain all aggrieved aspirants, viewing political parties as spaces with "free entry, free exit" but striving for member retention.

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The primaries are like any other competition. You win some, you lose some. If you lose, you didn’t actually lose. It’s just that somebody has to fly the flag of the party, so that everybody will come together.

The NDC's broader objective is to contribute to Nigeria's rebuilding and restore confidence in its economic system. Akwara urged members to focus on the future, suggesting that "what lies ahead is much better, it's much to be fought for than what is behind."

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There is no cause for alarm. I don’t think we’re alarmed.