Candidates of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) have commended the party’s National Leader, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, for his role in resolving disputes arising from the party’s primaries and ensuring that the names of its candidates were published by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The commendation followed INEC’s recent publication of the NDC’s candidates for the 2027 general elections, ending weeks of anxiety among aspirants, particularly those seeking seats in the Senate and House of Representatives.

The delay in the publication of the list had generated apprehension among candidates and party supporters, but the latest development has eased tensions within the relatively new opposition party.

Several candidates attributed the resolution of the disputes surrounding the primaries to Dickson’s intervention, describing him as a stabilising force in the party.

They also dismissed allegations that aspirants were compelled to pay money to secure tickets, insisting that the party’s primaries, though not without challenges, were conducted transparently.

The NDC candidate for Abia Central Senatorial District, Senator Nkechi Nwaogu, commended Dickson for the manner in which he handled the challenges surrounding the primaries, reconciliation efforts, and nomination of candidates.

Nwaogu, a former senator who served in the Eighth National Assembly, said: “The National Leader Senator Seriake Dickson deserves accolades for the way he navigated the trying times that the primaries, reconciliations, and the nomination of candidates were finally concluded.

“Nobody is perfect, but he acted in the interest of our party, NDC.”

She appealed to aspirants who lost their bids for tickets to remain committed to the party and support its candidates in the 2027 elections.

I appeal to aspirants who did not get tickets to see this as a contest in which those who lost today can win tomorrow. They should work with our party to ensure its victory in the 2027 elections,” she said.

A Canada-based aspirant who lost his bid for a House of Representatives ticket also praised the party leadership and Dickson for managing the disputes that followed the primaries.

The aspirant, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said he witnessed many of the developments surrounding the party’s internal processes.

"I'm a front-row witness to most of what transpired, and I can tell you that all the National Leader has been doing since after the primaries has been settling the misunderstandings that arose either directly from the venues of the primaries or from the handling of the disputes by respective state leaders and stakeholders who were charged with harmonising the various interest groups,” he said.

According to him, Dickson did not create the disputes and did not interfere with the work of state stakeholders or committees constituted to conduct the primaries.

Instead, he has spent the last two or three months settling and reconciling all of us aspirants and stakeholders,” he said.

Another aspirant from Edo State rejected allegations that NDC tickets were sold to the highest bidders, saying he personally met Dickson several times without money being demanded or discussed.

“On the allegation that the tickets were being sold to the highest bidder, I, for one, can boldly tell you that I visited the National Leader no fewer than thrice, with party leaders and aspirants from my state. Not once was the issue of money ever discussed,” he said.

“Nobody can claim he ever gave money to Senator Dickson. I’m sure he would have walked you out of his house if you ever tried to offer him any money.”

Aspirant said Dickson had made significant sacrifices for the growth of the party, urging members to close ranks and work towards victory in the 2027 elections.

“I’m calling on all members of the party as the democrats we are, to join hands to work for the party, to not only deliver the party’s presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, and Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, his running mate, but also deliver all the candidates of the NDC across board,” he said.

He described the NDC as the “only true hope of the opposition and Nigeria’s democracy”, urging members not to allow internal disagreements to undermine the party.

In a related development, Mazi Nnamdi Dickson Iroegbu, who lost his bid for the NDC House of Representatives ticket for Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala Federal Constituency in Imo State, called on party members to move beyond the primaries and unite behind the party’s candidates.

Reacting to the publication of the candidates’ list by INEC in a Facebook post, Iroegbu acknowledged that his name was absent from the list but said he had moved on and remained committed to the party.

He congratulated the successful candidates and urged his supporters to continue backing the NDC.

“Although my aspiration did not materialise this moment, my commitment to the people remains firm, and I will continue to work for the progress of my community,” he said.

Iroegbu added, “I urge all my supporters to continue with their support for NDC from top to bottom, standing firmly behind the party’s leadership and candidates, and ensuring unity, discipline, and active participation during the election processes. Service to the people shall always be our creed.” (The Nation)