‘You’re insecure, you’ll make NDC lose 2027’ – Yesufu fires at Dickson

By Tolulope Oke

Political tension in the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, deepened on Thursday as political activist and party chieftain, Aisha Yesufu, accused the party’s National Leader, Senator Seriake Dickson, of weakening the platform ahead of the 2027 general election.

Yesufu, in a statement addressed to Dickson, said his recent post-primaries interview failed to reassure aggrieved aspirants and supporters, but instead made the crisis in the party appear like a personal battle.

She said Dickson should have used the interview to sell the NDC candidates, unite members and give Nigerians confidence that the party was ready to challenge for power in 2027.

According to her, the former Bayelsa State governor appeared “insecure” and “in competition” with the party’s presidential candidate.

“This part of the interview was so painfully appalling to watch. It looked as if you were insecure and in competition with your presidential candidate,” Yesufu said.

She accused Dickson of treating the NDC as a special purpose vehicle whose goal had ended with registration, rather than a political party built to win elections.

“With all due respect sir, it looks as if you consider the NDC a Special Purpose Vehicle whose aim has been achieved just by being registered instead of a political party whose aim is to win the 2027 general election decisively,” she said.

Yesufu said the registration of the NDC should be a means to an end and not an end in itself.

She also faulted Dickson’s handling of complaints arising from the party’s primaries, saying many aspirants and supporters were still angry over the process.

Yesufu said she followed the party’s process and even accepted the situation when Dickson allegedly insisted that there would be no primaries for the Senate.

She said she later asked her supporters to focus on the bigger picture despite their anger.

“I toured the FCT pacifying my supporters and party people who rightfully felt disrespected as they were all waiting at their respective headquarters for primaries that never happened,” she said.

“I played field politics, I never waited for anyone to give me ticket.”

The activist said Dickson, as party leader, should have pacified aggrieved aspirants and urged supporters to remain committed to the NDC, but instead antagonised the same people the party would need to win elections.

“As a leader of a political party, your number one job in that interview was to pacify aspirants, many of whom are rightfully aggrieved, and secondly to call on supporters to bear with the party and support it,” she said.

“But you ended up antagonising the very people you would need to win election. Every vote counts. A leader must stoop to conquer.”

Yesufu said no one was trying to take Dickson’s leadership of the NDC from him, adding that the focus should be on defeating the ruling party in 2027.

“No one can take away your leadership of NDC, no one is interested in that. The focus is on Nigeria winning the 2027 election,” she said.

She accused Dickson of shifting blame whenever party processes were criticised, urging him to take full responsibility for the shortcomings of the young party.

“The party is young. It was overwhelmed. Mistakes will be made. Accepting the mistakes and being accountable is how the party will get better,” she said.

Yesufu warned that the NDC had a major political battle ahead and should not allow personal ego to distract it from its goal.

“There is a whole battle ahead of us. Rescuing Nigeria from the current state it is in should be the main focus, not people’s fragile ego,” she said.

She ended her statement with a quote from Jim Rohn: “If what you did yesterday is still looking big to you today, then you are not doing enough.”

The exchange comes amid growing unease within the NDC after its primaries and public complaints by some aspirants and supporters over the party’s internal process.