The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) held a dinner meeting on Sunday night for governorship and National Assembly aspirants, with party leaders outlining plans to strengthen the party’s nomination process ahead of the upcoming elections.
Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, who hosted the meeting, said the NDC had become the fastest-growing and most cohesive opposition platform in the country within months of its founding. He thanked aspirants for believing in the party’s vision and for their donations and support.
Peter Obi attended the dinner, while Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso was absent as he was in Kano attending to party matters ahead of the primaries.
Dickson commended the Screening Committee led by Senator Sam Egwu for completing the screening of aspirants over the past week.
He said the newly inaugurated Selection Committee, chaired by the National Chairman, would review the screening reports, consult stakeholders across states and constituencies, and make recommendations based on competence, local dynamics, and party interests.
With limited time before the elections, Dickson said the party would encourage consensus arrangements where possible to reduce rancour and promote unity. Where consensus cannot be reached, he said, the party would conduct democratic primaries in line with its constitution and guidelines.
He assured aspirants that the party would keep a record of those who had made sacrifices, noting that a database of aspirants and supporters was being compiled for roles in the presidential campaign structure and other committees.
Dickson also said this would be the last primary election conducted manually due to time constraints. The party, he said, was working to introduce electronic systems for future primaries to improve transparency and efficiency.
He thanked aspirants for attending despite insecurity and economic challenges, and assured them that all donations would be used transparently for the party’s growth. A new communication platform, he added, would soon be launched to keep aspirants and supporters updated.
