By Our Reporter
ABUJA (PRECISE POST) – Former Bayelsa State Governor and chieftain of the NDC, Senator Seriake Dickson, has announced that all aspirants who purchased Expression of Interest forms for the party’s primaries will be allowed to participate in the exercise, citing time constraints and the large number of contestants.
Dickson disclosed this on his X handle on Wednesday, after what he described as extensive deliberations involving the party’s National Chairman, presidential aspirant Peter Obi , members of the National Working Committee, the Selection Committee, and the Screening Committee chaired by former Ebonyi State Governor, .
He commended the screening committee for what he called its painstaking work in handling the overwhelming number of aspirants, which he said exceeded the party’s expectations.
Dickson also appreciated the aspirants and supporters who donated to the party and chose the NDC platform to pursue their political ambitions across the country.
According to him, successful candidates emerging from the primaries would later report to the party secretariat for documentation, payment for nomination forms, and completion of other requirements.
He revealed that the party had constituted and deployed primary election teams made up of senior officials to all states to conduct the exercise in collaboration with stakeholders and local leaders.
The former governor stressed that the party remained committed to inclusiveness, urging officials to pay attention to women, youths, and aspirants with strong electoral prospects.
He also called for violence-free primaries, warning that the party would sanction anyone involved in intimidation, threats, disorderly conduct, or violence during the exercise.
Dickson announced that the primaries would hold on May 28 and 29, 2026, with aspirants permitted to participate using only their Expression of Interest forms.
He added that an appeal panel would be inaugurated to address complaints arising from the process.
Explaining the mode of the primaries, Dickson said State Assembly candidates would emerge through direct primaries conducted at constituency level, while primaries and affirmations for House of Representatives, Senate, governorship, and presidential positions would hold at various local government headquarters.
He stated that final results would be announced by the party’s Selection Committee and the National Executive Committee at the national secretariat.
Dickson admitted that the party was unable to fully deploy its planned electronic voting system due to limited time and logistical constraints but assured members that future primaries would be conducted electronically.
“As I said at the dinner with aspirants, this will be the last primary election in the NDC to be conducted manually,” he said.
He urged party members to support the process and work together to build what he described as an enduring political institution rather than a platform built around individual interests.
Dickson further called on officials conducting the primaries to collaborate closely with stakeholders, the Independent National Electoral Commission, and security agencies to ensure a peaceful, transparent, and credible exercise.
