By Ahmed Akanbi
National Leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Senator Seriake Dickson, has said the party does not owe its growing popularity to its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, insisting that it was the NDC that provided Obi with the platform to pursue his presidential ambition.
Dickson stated this during a televised interview on Wednesday, stressing that neither Obi nor any other politician joining the party was doing the NDC a favour.
According to him, the NDC remains a viable political platform that had attracted influential politicians from across the country long before Obi and his running mate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, joined its ranks.
“The narrative must be clear. No one is doing the NDC a favour. Rather, my colleagues and I are doing people a favour by granting them access to our platform,” Dickson said.
He stressed that supporters of Obi must respect the party and its leadership, warning against attempts to undermine the platform while professing loyalty to its presidential candidate.
“You cannot claim to support Peter Obi and at the same time disparage me as the leader of the platform. That is illogical and unacceptable,” he stated.
Dickson disclosed that several notable political figures had aligned with the NDC before the emergence of Obi and Kwankwaso, citing former Zamfara lawmaker, Kabiru Marafa, and former Adamawa governorship candidate, Aishatu Binani, among others.
He described Obi as a valued member of the party and noted that the NDC had demonstrated confidence in him by adopting him as its sole presidential candidate ahead of the 2027 general election.
“Peter Obi is a cherished member of our party. On our own, we have made him the sole presidential candidate, and that counts for something. The same applies to his running mate, Kwankwaso. We are all working together for a common goal,” Dickson added.
The comments come amid growing political activities and realignments ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with the NDC seeking to consolidate support across the country while managing internal dynamics following the emergence of Obi as its standard-bearer.