Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi and National Leader Seriake Dickson, have assured members that the party would not be turned into a “special-purpose vehicle.”

The duo gave the assurance during a dinner for the party’s aspirants for next year’s general elections in Abuja on Monday night.

“We are not building a special-purpose vehicle for anybody. We are building a party that will stand the test of time, a party of principles and service, not a one-man show,” Obi stated.

On his part, Dickson, a serving Senator and one-time governor of Bayelsa State, said: “The NDC is not a special-purpose vehicle for any human being. We are building together a political party that will stand the test of time.”

Obi assured aspirants that their sacrifices and contributions to building the party would not be forgotten, even if they failed to secure party tickets.

According to him, the NDC is determined to evolve into a political institution founded on service, fairness and principles rather than becoming a platform for opportunistic politicians.

“I assure you that your sacrifice will not be in vain. All of us will not succeed, all of us will not be selected, all of us will not be winners, but it is time we start recognising people who have worked so hard for this country,” the former Anambra State governor said.

He urged members of the NDC not to be discouraged by temporary setbacks, stressing that rebuilding Nigeria would require sacrifice, patience and perseverance.

Dickson also revealed at the event that the party has created a platform to ensure that all its future internal elections were carried out electronically.

He said the move was a part of efforts by the NDC leadership to modernise Nigeria’s political process.

He said: “I assure you that this will be the last primary in the NDC that will be done in the old-fashioned way that Nigerian politics has been playing because of time.

“All other primaries, even six months from now, this party will be set for electronic voting. Every registered voter will use their phone to vote because that is the direction Nigerian elections should be going.

“We want involvement and inclusion of everybody, from the ward level to the national level. Here in the NDC, it is monkey-work-monkey-chop,” he declared. (The Nation)