Former Bayelsa State Governor Henry Seriake Dickson has described the National Democratic Congress (NDC) as the fastest-growing opposition political platform in Nigeria, following a dinner meeting with governorship and National Assembly aspirants of the party.
The meeting, held on Monday night, was attended by former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, while former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso was absent due to party engagements in Kano ahead of the primaries.
Addressing party aspirants and stakeholders, Dickson thanked members for believing in the vision and ideals of the NDC, noting that despite initial scepticism surrounding the party’s formation, it had quickly grown into what he called the most cohesive opposition platform in the country.
He commended party officials and members for their dedication since the party’s inception and specifically praised the Screening Committee chaired by former Ebonyi State Governor Sam Egwu for successfully conducting screening exercises for aspirants.
Dickson also acknowledged the financial and moral support provided by party members and aspirants, saying the NDC was committed to building strong democratic institutions and credible internal processes.
According to him, the inauguration of the party’s Selection Committee was aimed at strengthening transparency, consultation and strategic planning in the nomination process.
He explained that the committee, chaired by the party’s national leadership, would review reports from the Screening Committee and engage stakeholders across constituencies and states before making recommendations based on competence, local political dynamics and the broader interests of the party.
The former governor urged aspirants to embrace consensus arrangements where possible in order to reduce internal disputes and strengthen party unity ahead of the elections.
However, he assured members that democratic primaries would be conducted in line with the party’s constitution and guidelines where consensus could not be reached.
Dickson reminded aspirants that only one candidate could eventually emerge for each elective position but assured them that the sacrifices and contributions of party loyalists would not be forgotten.
He said the NDC was being built as a long-term ideological political institution rather than a platform for “transactional politics.”
The former senator also disclosed that the party was compiling a comprehensive database of aspirants and supporters who had contributed to its growth, noting that such individuals would continue to play strategic roles within the party, including in the presidential campaign structure and other committees expected to be inaugurated soon.
Dickson further revealed plans to introduce electronic systems for future party primaries to improve transparency, efficiency and credibility.
He explained that the current largely manual process was adopted because of time constraints ahead of the forthcoming elections.
