Isaac Samuel
The National Leader of the National Democratic Coalition (NDC), Seriake Dickson, has urged Nigerians to disregard what he described as propaganda and remain focused on the party’s vision of rebuilding the country.
Dickson, in a statement, expressed appreciation for the growing support the party has continued to receive nationwide, noting that public trust has remained the driving force behind the NDC’s steady rise.
He said the party was witnessing a “powerful convergence” of political forces, combining organisational leadership with the experience and grassroots appeal of prominent figures across the country.
The call comes amid a major political realignment ahead of the 2027 general elections, following the entry of former presidential candidates Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso into the NDC.
Both politicians were formally received into the party by Dickson in Abuja, a significant boost to the NDC’s growing national appeal.
Their move followed high-level consultations and meetings with the NDC leadership which forms part o alliance-building efforts among opposition figures ahead of the next election cycle.
ALSO READ ADC woos Jonathan as Mark, Atiku insist on primaries Isaac Samuel The race to the 2027 presidency took a dramatic turn this week as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) intensified efforts to lure former President Goodluck Jonathan into its fold. Jonathan, it was gathered is also taking decisive moves to reset opposition strategy and mount a formidable challenge against President Bola Tinubu. The former President held a closed-door meeting held in Abuja on Thursday with ADC National Chairman, Senator David Mark. Jonathan, who publicly met with politicians and party leaders for the first time since his rumoured bid to return to power, met the ADC stakeholders at the home of Mark. Seen in a viral video as he walked into the expansive residence of the former Senate President in Abuja, others with Mark were former Minister of Sports and ADC spokesperson, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi as well as a former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, among others. Sources claimed the former president has begun consultations ahead of the 2027 polls following increasing pressure to get in the ring and ‘save’ the nation. But it was learnt that the former President's bid to return to Aso Rock on the platform of the opposition coalition may have hit an early stumbling block. At Thursday’s meeting, Mark was said to have told the former president in clear terms that the only path to the party’s presidential ticket was through the front door by formally joining the party and submitting himself to a transparent primary election. Unable to secure any guarantees, Jonathan and Mark agreed to meet again soon to review the situation. It was learnt that the ADC is moving to draft Jonathan into the race beccause he is seen as a compromise candidate, but his strong base used to be the South-East which is now the political fortress of Obi. But Jonathan is not alone in seeking assurances. Both former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, are also pressing the ADC leadership for firm commitments before they take the plunge. The party’s new leadership, however, has refused to make such promises, a development that explains why all three leading contenders are still holding back from declaring for the party. For them, early commitment without certainty could prove politically fatal. Aligning with the ADC and then losing its ticket could leave any of the trio stranded and without a viable political vehicle ahead of 2027. Obi has consistently insisted that power must remain in the South for equity, even pledging to serve a single term if elected. But his camp remains opposed to any vice-presidential offer, warning that such a move would be politically suicidal after his strong showing in 2023. For Atiku, who resigned from the PDP in July, the plan is to complete ongoing grassroots mobilisation before formally collecting his ADC membership card in Adamawa. While Atiku insists he is ready for an open primary, his increasing influence within ADC backed by significant political investments is fuelling fears that the presidential ticket may already be tilted in his favour. That dynamic, party figures say, could force Jonathan and Obi to reconsider their strategies. Meanwhile, the ADC leadership is trying to project unity. After a caucus meeting in Abuja attended by Mark, Atiku, former governors Nasir El-Rufai, Aminu Tambuwal and Rotimi Amaechi, the party directed all undecided members to resign from their existing parties. Peter Obi, a member of the coalition party, had yet to disclaim his membership of Labour Party (LP). Atiku is also yet to get his ADC membership even though he has resigned from PDP. National Publicity Secretary of ADC, Bolaji Abdullahi, disclosed the new directive while addressing journalists in Abuja, after a caucus meeting attended by top party leaders and political figures. Abdullahi said, “Though final order has been given to all members to resign membership of other political parties, the caucus was silent on the timeline.” The caucus also announced that all issues concerning African Democratic Association (ADA) had been concluded. According to Abdullahi, “The coalition has rested everything concerning the ADA. That means they are not interested in the registration or otherwise of the association.” On the 2027 presidential race, Abdullahi said ADC’s presidential aspirants had agreed to back whoever emerged winner of the primaries. “All the presidential aspirants have agreed to support whoever wins the primaries election,” he stated. The ADC spokesman further revealed that the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) would soon announce dates for primaries in Osun and Ekiti states ahead of the off-cycle governorship elections in both states. Those present at the meeting included National Chairman, David Mark; former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; National Secretary, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai; former Sokoto State Governor, Senator Aminu Tambuwal; and former Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Amaechi.
The former Bayelsa State governor stressed that the NDC was conceived as an ideological platform built to endure beyond its founders, with structures comparable to strong political parties across the world.
According to him, the party is committed to inclusiveness, with a focus on young people, women and vulnerable citizens, adding that it is designed to serve all Nigerians rather than a privileged few.
Dickson also dismissed what he described as distractions, including rumours and blackmail, urging citizens not to lose sight of the broader objective of national renewal.
“I urge Nigerians to discountenance propaganda about the NDC or any of its leaders and remain focused on the bigger picture,” he said, calling on citizens to register, participate and contest elections under the party.
The statement below
“I thank Nigerians across all parts of our country for their growing support and confidence in us and in the NDC. That trust has been the most important currency driving the party from its early days up until now, especially with the recent addition of my two distinguished colleagues.
“What we are witnessing is a powerful convergence: my role as a party organiser and builder, alongside two political heavyweights with immense grassroots support, popularity and political experience, as well as several other leaders in their own right across the country, all coming together under one platform.
“As I have consistently stated, our goal in the NDC is to build an ideological political party, one that can be compared to the ANC in its finest years in South Africa, as well as established political parties across Europe, America, India and even the Communist Party of China—in terms of stability, structure, and the ability to endure beyond its founders for generations to come.
“The NDC is a party with a special place for young people and women, one that prioritises mentorship and prepares citizens for service. It is designed to serve the people, not just the big, strong, and powerful, but also the ordinary and the vulnerable.
“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. When party registration resumed last year, we revisited and updated our earlier application. The other document shows a Google search we conducted on February 3, 2017, while searching for the appropriate “V-sign” as the party’s logo.
“With my experience in politics, I am fully aware that an ambitious project of this nature will attract distractions—rumours, gossip, propaganda, and even blackmail. These are all parts of the terrain that we are used to. I therefore urge Nigerians to discountenance and ignore such propaganda about the ndc or any of its leaders and remain focused on the bigger picture.
I call on all Nigerians to join the NDC, register, participate, and contest elections. Together, let us reclaim and rebuild our country.”
