National Leader of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Seriake Dickson and National Chairman, Cleopas Moses, have dismissed claims of marginalisation by supporters of the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi and vice-presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso.

They insisted that Obi, Kwankwaso and their political structures have been fully integrated into the party.

The duo also rejected allegations that party tickets were sold to aspirants, describing such actions as meant to cause division within the NDC.

Speaking during a media interactive session in Abuja, Senator Dickson said Obi and Kwankwaso are not only carried along in the party’s activities but have become integral partners in the NDC project.

According to him, supporters of both leaders should focus on strengthening the party rather than attacking its leadership over the outcome of recent primaries.

“I think if they were truly carried along, they ought to call their supporters to order. Their principals are now candidates of the party — one is the presidential candidate and the other is the vice-presidential candidate.

“There is no need for supporters to continue condemning the party leadership. This is the time to organise and strengthen the party,” Senator Dickson said.

The former Bayelsa State governor stressed that there was no crisis between Obi and Kwankwaso or between their camps and the NDC leadership.

His words: “We are not colleagues alone; we are partners. When they came into the party, we became partners and together built this platform. They are our flag bearers, and all of us will support them through the general election.

“Why should supporters of either side be raising unnecessary issues that even the APC is not raising against the NDC? I don’t understand it.

“There is no dispute between Obi and Kwankwaso. Even two nights ago, we met and discussed. We will continue to meet and discuss. There is no crisis in the NDC from our point of view.”

Corroborating Dickson’s position, Senator Moses said the NDC already had functional structures before Obi and Kwankwaso joined the party. He acknowledged that their arrival significantly strengthened the party.

“The party had structures and formations in all the 36 states and the FCT before the arrival of Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso.

“We cannot take away the fact that their coming added tremendous value to the party, but there was already an existing structure,” Senator Moses said.

He cited the Southeast, where Obi enjoys substantial political support, saying leaders from the zone are fully involved in consultations and decision-making processes.

“Take the Southeast, for instance. The whole region was considered strategically important because we had a presidential candidate from there. Their leaders were consulted and carried along. They had their representatives and inputs in the process.

“Massively so. My National Secretary is from Anambra. The South-East leaders were consulted, considered and involved,” he stated.

Dickson is insecure, says Aisha Yesufu

But a former senatorial aspirant of the NDC, Aisha Yesufu, accused Dickson of being insecure because of Obi.

Yesufu’s reaction on her X account followed Dickson’s interview on Arise TV, where the Senator addressed concerns surrounding NDC’s just-concluded primaries and defended the party’s handling of the exercise.

Dickson had acknowledged that the primaries were not perfect, citing administrative and logistical challenges faced by the relatively young party as it conducted membership registration, congresses, and multiple layers of elections within a compressed electoral timeline.

However, Yesufu faulted his remarks, insisting that his public communication did not reflect the tone expected of a party leader seeking to unify aggrieved aspirants and consolidate support ahead of the 2027 general election.

She argued that instead of reassuring party members and rallying support behind the NDC’s candidates, the interview appeared to centre more on personal positioning than party cohesion.

“It looked as if you were insecure and in competition with your presidential candidate,” the political and social activist wrote.

Yesufu further criticised what she described as the party leadership’s handling of post-primary grievances, saying the focus should have been on calming tensions among aspirants and supporters rather than escalating internal disagreements. (The Nation)