National Leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Seriake Dickson, has dismissed alleged legal issues surrounding the party’s registration, insisting that due process was followed and urging Nigerians to disregard what he described as propaganda.

In a statement shared via his Facebook page, Dickson said the party’s registration process dates back to 2017, when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) initially granted approval before the process was later halted.

According to him, the NDC revisited and updated its application when party registration resumed last year, maintaining that all necessary procedures have been complied with.

“For the record, the annexures show that we initiated the registration process for the NDC as far back as 2017, and that INEC granted approval at that time before the process was halted,” he said.

The former Bayelsa State governor noted that the party’s growing popularity and recent influx of prominent political figures have attracted increased public attention, alongside what he described as misinformation and distractions.

“With my experience in politics, I am fully aware that an ambitious project of this nature will attract rumours, gossip, propaganda, and even blackmail,” Dickson stated, urging Nigerians to discountenance and ignore such narratives.

He said the NDC is being built as an ideological political party with strong institutional structures, drawing comparisons with established global political movements such as South Africa’s African National Congress and other parties across Europe, America, and Asia.

Dickson emphasised that the party is designed to endure beyond its founders and prioritise inclusiveness, particularly for young people and women.

“The NDC is a party with a special place for young people and women… designed to serve not just the powerful, but also the ordinary and the vulnerable,” he said.

The NDC leader also highlighted what he described as a powerful convergence within the party, citing the coming together of experienced political figures and grassroots leaders from across the country.

He called on Nigerians to actively participate in the political process through the party by registering, contesting elections, and contributing to national development. “Together, let us reclaim and rebuild our country,” Dickson added. (Nigerian Tribune)