Aisha Yesufu, a political activist and former senatorial candidate, has publicly chastised Seriake Dickson, the National Leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), for his comments on concerns raised during the party’s just finished primaries.
During an interview, Dickson defended the primaries, admitting that there were irregularities but encouraging unhappy aspirants to be patient with the party.
He claimed that the NDC, which is only four months old, has been under enormous pressure to finish membership registration, congresses, conventions, primaries, and appeals within a short timeline.
The party leader also insisted that the obstacles encountered during the procedure were not unique to the NDC, blaming some of them on the Electoral Act’s provision for direct primaries.
He told members that a reconciliation process was underway and promised that future primaries will be guided by technology to avoid similar problems.
However, Yesufu vehemently disagreed with Dickson’s strategy, accusing him of failing to prioritise party unity and the larger goal of winning the 2027 general elections.
In a lengthy response, the activist stated that she found parts of Dickson’s interview “painfully appalling” and that his appearance suggested that he was competing with the party’s presidential candidate rather than supporting the NDC’s electoral prospects.
She noted that, despite her reservations about the primary process, she had accepted the party’s conclusions and urged her followers to focus on larger political goals.
She claimed to have personally engaged party members across the Federal Capital Territory to defuse tensions following the purported failure of planned primaries.
Yesufu stated that Dickson’s first role as party leader should have been to soothe disappointed aspirants and mobilise supporters around the party.
Instead, she contended that his remarks risked alienating those whose support would be critical during the elections.
She also accused the NDC leader of transferring responsibility whenever flaws in the party were exposed, pressing him to assume full responsibility for the issues that arose during the primaries.
The activist emphasised that the NDC’s primary goal should be to defeat the ruling system and win the 2027 elections, rather than to engage in internal disagreements.
According to her, no one was aiming to dispute Dickson’s position as party leader, and the focus should stay on creating a united platform capable of rescuing Nigeria from its current problems.
She concluded her remarks with a quote from motivational speaker Jim Rohn, saying, “If what you did yesterday is still looking big to you today, then you are not doing enough.”
