Political Turmoil: NDC Rocked by Internal Crisis as Seriake Dickson Battles Allegations

Senator Seriake Dickson, national leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and former Bayelsa State Governor, has openly acknowledged certain shortcomings in the party’s recently concluded primary elections. Despite these concessions, Dickson firmly dismissed suggestions of a deepening internal crisis within the NDC, attributing the reported issues to operational challenges inherent in the direct primary system, particularly for both established and emerging political parties.

During an interview on Arise Television on Wednesday, Dickson admitted that “some aspects of the process were not perfect,” and that members in various states, including Edo and Imo, were indeed dissatisfied. These remarks came amid growing complaints from aspirants accusing the party of irregularities in its nomination process and breaches of electoral guidelines. However, he maintained that many contested outcomes were determined by the party’s internal structures rather than its national leadership, emphasizing that the party is actively addressing these grievances.

Dickson vehemently rejected claims that the NDC awards nomination tickets to the highest bidders. He stated, “The NDC does not sell nomination forms or tickets based on wealth. Nobody has come forward with evidence that the National Working Committee or the national leadership collected money in exchange for tickets.” While acknowledging that financial capacity remains a practical consideration in electoral politics—where parties assess an aspirant’s ability to run a viable campaign—he stressed that this should not be misconstrued as the commercialisation of party tickets.

The former governor insisted there was “no crisis whatsoever” within the NDC, arguing instead that the high level of competition and the influx of political figures and aspirants reflect the party's rapid expansion and increasing public interest. He expressed appreciation to Nigerians for their growing trust, evidenced by participation in recent party activities. According to Dickson, the surge in interest and contestation for positions should be interpreted as political strength and rising confidence, rather than organizational weakness or instability.

Comparing the NDC's situation to that of other political entities, Dickson noted that the challenges experienced were not unique. He pointed out that even older, more established parties like the All Progressives Congress (APC), which has been in federal power since 2015, and the ADC, have faced their own primary crises. He suggested that for a “new and young party like the NDC,” the situation “could have been worse,” commending all colleagues and aspirants for showing restraint and commitment to the party despite the difficulties created by the Electoral Act’s stipulations for direct primaries.