By ETIM ETIM
The founder and National Leader of Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has spoken of his tortuous experience in trying to register the new party with INEC.
In a detailed statement, primarily issued as a rejoinder to insinuations made by another politician, Senator Dickson said it took him nine years to have NDC registered. Even then, INEC only registered the party after a court pronouncement.
Here’s Senator Dickson’s full statement:
“I want to address the misguided and sponsored propaganda against the NDC from Dr. Umar Ardo; someone I call a friend and political ally for several years.
Dr. Ardo’s consistent propaganda against the NDC, especially knowing my involvement as founder and national leader, is shocking and speaks to a lack of respect and loyalty to friendship.
The truth about NDC is in the public domain: The application commenced in 2017, when Dr. Ardo wasn’t even dreaming of registering a political party. The process stalled because INEC, under Dr. Mahmood Yakubu, halted the registration of political parties.
However, last year when INEC lifted the embargo on registration of political parties, we revived our application and were subsequently listed alongside the 171 political associations. We waited to be invited by INEC to participate in the next stages of the registration process, only to receive a letter from INEC stating that our application was declined because our proposed logo, which is the two-finger sign, was similar to that of the APC broom.
This was shocking to us and we wrote back to INEC to restate that the logos were in no way similar. INEC persisted and even refused us the opportunity to change the logo, upon our offer to do so.
We wrote to INEC notifying them of our intention to sue and we went to court over this unlawful exclusion and upon this, the court enforced our rights to freedom of association, deemed us registered and directed INEC to register us, which they have implemented. INEC announced the NDC as one of the political parties in the country and issued a certificate of registration which we thank Prof. Amupitan, SAN, and the INEC, just as we thank the Judiciary.
INEC did not and has not appealed this judgement, and by the way, the period of appeal has elapsed and no one, except INEC, has the locus standi to appeal the judgement. The judgment has been enforced by INEC and there’s nothing to appeal anymore. Moreover, if INEC who is the defendant has not appealed the judgement which has been accepted, implemented and obeyed, then no one can appeal against such.
Upon receiving the certificate, we gave the mandatory 21 days notice to INEC and they came about two weeks ago to observe our first NEC, which confirmed our officers and also took dates for our congresses and primaries, to be announced by the party soonest.
Dr. Ardo is aware of all of this because being a friend, we spoke, where he explained his frustrations stemming from INEC’s refusal to register the ADA. I explained how I faced a similar delay but approached the court and advised him to do same, which he followed.
I am aware of the challenges he has in court as a result of disputes between him and his fellow promoters of the ADA and the NDC has nothing to do with this and, therefore, can not bear any responsibilities for his disappointment and frustration.
A few weeks ago, INEC also registered the NDP, which was excluded but went to court and got judgement. And again, INEC chairman and his team did not appeal against it but obeyed the order, registered the party and issued a certificate of registration.
The NDC is therefore not the only party that was registered as a result of a court order. It is curious that Dr. Adoh is his vituperations, said nothing about the NDP or other registered political parties.
We are happy with the NDC’s registration and its formal presentation. Nigerians from all over the country and in the diaspora are registering massively and the party is gaining momentum with our officers working hard and promoting it. I am doing same, receiving top politicians from across the country and from all political parties.
Considering our friendship, if ADA had been registered and NDC were not, I would have felt safe in calling Dr. Ardo’s party my own party and worked to build it in my areas of strength with my friends and allies which is what I expected Dr. Ardo to do, as I have always considered him a political ally and associate who should stand with me to deepen multiparty democracy and stem this drift towards one-party rule.
While I will not go into reports and insinuations about his motive and those behind it out of respect for our relationship, Dr. Ardo’s activities are inimical to the endangered opposition political ecosystem we are working hard to strengthen.
Dr. Ardo knows me enough not to associate me with anything less than transparent and honorable, and the NDC is not an exception.
Our party is available for all Nigerians who are now helpless and desirous of a change. The NDC is also available to all politicians who are stranded as a result of the political developments in the country, who need a platform that is clean and unencumbered with any political crisis. The NDC is an ideological party and stands for a new brand of politics of ideas and service.
Why are they silent about the other new parties that have been registered?
They are shocked at the giant strides the NDC has taken in less than two months against their expectation that it would be another mushroom party.
For those who are purveyors of the false news, propaganda and their sponsors, I have bad news for them, they have not seen anything yet! The NDC has come to stay, and will mobilise all across Nigeria.
In summary;
– The NDC is registered because we won the court case compelling INEC to register us which they obeyed without appeal and we thank INEC and the Judiciary for this.
– The time for any appeal has elapsed, judgement has already been complied with and INEC is not complaining, so no one else has a locus standi to challenge this registration.
– There is no existing legal challenge against the NDC. No individual or group has the legal standing to contest the registration of a political party after a court judgement has been duly obeyed and implemented by INEC.
Those who do not align with our vision are free to support any party or candidate of their choice. However, the spread of falsehoods and sponsored misinformation is unacceptable.
We also acknowledge that some individuals, including certain political actors, may be fueling these narratives out of apprehension over the NDC’s growing acceptance under my leadership. This is not unexpected.
I commend Nigerians at home and in the diaspora for their confidence in the NDC. We encourage continued participation and registration as we build a political movement committed to national progress.
While some may feel threatened by our momentum, they should be reminded that no force can stop an idea whose time has come.
“As Mahatma Gandhi famously said: “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, and then you win.”
