Dickson meets Obi, says NDC crisis fully resolved

The National Leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Seriake Dickson, has said the party’s internal crisis has been resolved following consultations among key stakeholders, including its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and Prof. Pat Utomi.

Dickson disclosed this in a post on his X (formerly Twitter) handle on Friday, noting that the resolution followed a meeting of party leaders aimed at addressing disputes arising from the conduct of the party’s primaries.

The party has been embroiled in internal disagreements following the conclusion of its primaries.

Earlier, the NDC had faced accusations of irregularities during its primaries, with Dickson admitting in an interview on Arise Television that the exercise was not flawless.

In a post on his official X handle on Thursday, he urged members to remain patient as the party works through challenges linked to its rapid growth.

Earlier this week, former Kano State Governor and Obi’s running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, accused the party of replacing the names of his supporters and associates who emerged victorious in the party’s primaries in the state.

Unconfirmed reports also claimed that Kwankwaso threatened to leave the NDC after several candidates aligned with the Kwankwasiyya Movement in Kano were allegedly replaced to enforce a pre-agreed 60/40 power-sharing arrangement in favour of his bloc.

However, Dickson in a fresh post on Friday said all the issues arising from the primaries were resolved during a meeting which he said lasted about three hours.

“In the course of that meeting, we reviewed the activities of our party and discussed a few recent issues that have been a source of concern to all sides, and we amicably resolved all the issues,” he said.

“We have always been on the same page on the bigger picture, i.e., winning the elections for all candidates of our party and rescuing Nigeria from the misgovernance of the APC-led government. However, a few issues have arisen, and we have agreed on how to handle them moving forward,” Dickson said.

He called on members of the party to stop the bickering and name-calling and focus on the bigger picture.

“Both Peter Obi and I, as well as other leaders and stakeholders of our party, will continue to consult and engage with one another to address and resolve concerns, strengthen the unity and cohesion of our party, and ensure that we remain focused on our shared mission of rescuing Nigeria and building a better future for all,” he said.