Isaac Samuel
The National Leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Seriake Dickson, has expressed confidence that President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) would be voted out of office in the 2027 general elections if Nigerians are allowed to choose their leaders in a free, fair and credible election.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, the former Bayelsa State governor said widespread dissatisfaction with the APC-led administration would translate into a decisive electoral defeat for the ruling party.
“As leader of the NDC, and as a Nigerian who knows the feelings and yearnings of Nigerians, and who also knows that their aspirations have not been met, we believe that the APC government, the APC as a party, not just the President, will be defeated massively,” Dickson said.
He urged the Federal Government and electoral authorities to ensure a level playing field by allowing all political parties to participate in the elections without intimidation or administrative obstacles.
“Allow every party that wants to contest. You can only defeat them in an electoral contest. So, let us have a free and fair election,” he added.
On the prospects of opposition unity, Dickson said the NDC remained open to discussions with other opposition parties ahead of the 2027 polls but expressed hope that any eventual coalition would rally behind the party’s candidates.
“As an opposition leader, our party, the NDC, will be open to conversations within that space. We hope that whatever discussions take place will lead to the NDC candidates being backed because we know the value of the candidates we are putting forward,” he said.
He, however, said it was too early to determine the outcome of any coalition talks.
“We are not claiming superiority. After the nomination process has ended, we will move into another phase of discussions. Whether there will be an agreement, I don’t know. We will try. Where it will lead, I don’t know, but all those are options that remain open,” he stated.
Dickson also used the opportunity to reassure the party’s candidates and supporters that the recent Federal High Court judgment setting aside the order directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the NDC would not derail its participation in the 2027 elections.
He insisted that the judgment neither deregistered the party nor invalidated the candidates produced through its primaries, stressing that all nominations remain legally valid.
“I want to thank all Nigerians for their support, solidarity and prayers. Since Friday, thousands of Nigerians have been flocking to our website to register. They now know more about our party, they sympathise with our party and our candidates, and they are buying into our vision,” he said.
“To be clear, the NDC has not been deregistered. The NDC validly nominated candidates for all elective offices in primaries monitored nationwide by INEC. From the State Houses of Assembly to the House of Representatives, the Senate, governorship and the presidency, all our candidates emerged through valid processes conducted within the timetable issued by INEC.
“I am also a senatorial candidate of the party. All nominations have been validly carried out and monitored by INEC in accordance with the timeframe given by the commission. Those nominations remain valid because, under Nigerian law, nominations are concluded at party primaries, while submission of names to INEC is merely an administrative procedure.”
Dickson disclosed that the party had already appealed the judgment and filed applications for a stay of execution and injunctions to prevent any administrative action capable of affecting the NDC’s participation in the elections.
According to him, the judicial system provides adequate safeguards to correct errors made by lower courts, expressing confidence that the appellate courts would overturn the ruling.
His comments followed Friday’s judgment of the Federal High Court in Lokoja, which vacated its earlier order directing INEC to register the NDC.
Justice Isah Dashen held that the earlier judgment adversely affected the rights of the Peace Movement Party (PMP), which claimed ownership of the logo relied upon in securing the registration order but was not joined in the original suit.
Dickson alleged that the NDC had been denied access codes required to upload the particulars of its presidential and National Assembly candidates on INEC’s nomination portal.
However, INEC’s Director of Information and Voter Education, Victoria Eta-Messi, said the commission was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before taking any decision on the matter.
