Jane Salihu
The National Leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Henry Seriake Dickson, on Monday night formally inaugurated the party’s 21-member Selection Committee in Abuja while unveiling an ambitious reform agenda that includes the introduction of electronic voting for future party primaries.
Dickson spoke during the NDC inaugural Aspirants Dinner attended by party stakeholders, screened aspirants, caucus leaders and supporters drawn from across Nigeria and the Diaspora, describing the event as the beginning of a new political culture built on systems, technology and institutional processes.
The inauguration of the Selection Committee comes ahead of the party’s primaries for governorship, National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly elections, with the committee expected to coordinate consultations with party organs and recommend consensus pathways where necessary.
Addressing the gathering, Dickson said the NDC was determined to break away from what he described as the “old-fashioned” style of Nigerian politics by embracing transparent internal processes and digital participation.
“I assure you that this will be the last primary in the NDC that will be done in the old-fashioned way that Nigerian politics has been playing because of time,” he said.
“All other primaries, even six months from now, this party will be set for electronic voting. Every registered voter will use their phone to vote because that is the direction Nigerian elections should be going.”
He disclosed that the party had already developed a digital voting platform and mobile application for the process but decided to postpone deployment until the technology undergoes extensive testing.
“The platform and the app are ready, but they still have to be robustly tested. We do not want glitches,” Dickson stated.
The NDC leader said the reforms were part of efforts to build a political institution capable of outliving individual ambitions and surviving beyond election cycles.
“The NDC is not a special purpose vehicle for any human being. We are building together a political party that will stand the test of time,” he declared.
Dickson said the newly inaugurated Selection Committee would help deepen internal democracy by ensuring broad consultations and fairness in the nomination process.
According to him, members of the committee would engage the National Working Committee, state leaders and caucus structures before arriving at recommendations on aspirants.
“Your party is a party of innovation. We are building a party that is an institution based on systems, standards and processes,” he added.
The former Bayelsa governor also reflected on the challenges encountered during the party’s registration and early formation stages, saying opponents had predicted the collapse of the movement before it could meet electoral deadlines set by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“They thought we would not be able to meet the strict INEC deadlines imposed by the electoral law. Every day they came up with frivolous claims and nonexistent litigations to demoralise us, but Nigerians did not believe them,” he said.
He commended INEC and the judiciary for upholding constitutional rights to political participation and freedom of association.
Dickson further acknowledged the support of notable political figures, including Peter Gregory Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, saying their involvement had strengthened the party’s national appeal.
“From the time they joined this movement, the political landscape of Nigeria has not been the same,” he said.
Earlier, the National Chairman of the NDC, Moses Cleopas, said the Aspirants Dinner was organised to reduce tensions often associated with party primaries and foster unity among members.
Cleopas urged aspirants to remain committed to the party regardless of the outcome of the nomination process, stressing that cohesion after the primaries would determine the party’s strength in the general election.
“It is one person at the end of the day that will emerge to carry the banner of a political party,” he said.
“For those who may not emerge, you must make them feel important and part of the family because the general election is very vital.”
He also commended aspirants for their patience throughout the screening process and described the growth of the NDC within three months as unprecedented in Nigeria’s political history
