The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Peter Obi, has assured all aspirants that the party is being built as an enduring institution, not around any individual.
Obi spoke at a dinner in Abuja on Monday night with aspirants seeking tickets for various elective positions.
He said the NDC is grounded in fairness, inclusion and internal democracy, and sacrifices made by members will be recognized even if they do not win tickets.
“I assure you that your sacrifice will not be in vain. All of us will not succeed, all of us will not be selected, and all of us will not be winners, but it is time we start recognising people who have worked so hard for this country,” he said.
The former Anambra State governor stressed that the party is not a platform for personal ambition or transactional politics.
“We are not building a special-purpose vehicle for anybody. We are building a party that will stand the test of time, a party of principles and service, not a one-man show,” he added.
Obi also reflected on his recent trip to South Africa where he met government officials and former President Thabo Mbeki.
The discussions focused on challenges facing Nigerians in the diaspora.
He expressed concern over worsening living conditions abroad, linking it to insecurity, economic hardship and governance failures at home.
According to him, many Nigerians abroad have lost confidence in returning home.
“If things were working in Nigeria the way they should, most of our people abroad would not be there. Some of them told me they would rather die there than return home because things are worse in Nigeria,” he said.
Obi lamented Nigeria’s declining global influence, recalling its past leadership in international peacekeeping.
“Nigeria once commanded United Nations peacekeeping operations globally, but today Nigeria cannot secure itself. That is unacceptable,” he stated.
Also speaking at the event, NDC National Leader and former Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, said the party is preparing to introduce electronic voting.
He said a digital voting system has been developed to allow members to vote with mobile phones during congresses and primaries.
Dickson noted that rollout is being delayed to allow proper testing and consultations with the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
“We wanted to shock Nigeria with electronic voting, but we do not want glitches or mistakes. By the next round of elections, every registered voter in NDC will use their phones to vote,” Dickson said.
He added that the party is committed to building a durable political movement that will outlast individual ambitions.
“The NDC is not a transactional vehicle for anyone. It is a movement built to endure,” he said.
The NDC leadership said the meeting was part of efforts to strengthen party cohesion ahead of the 2027 general elections.