Candidates of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) whose names appeared on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’s published list have pushed back against allegations that the party’s tickets were sold to the highest bidders, insisting the nomination process was transparent despite the controversies that followed the primaries.
The candidates, alongside some unsuccessful aspirants, said the release of the INEC list has put to rest weeks of uncertainty that trailed the party’s internal processes and affirmed the legitimacy of those who emerged from the primaries.
Several of them also commended the party’s National Leader, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, for leading reconciliation efforts that they said prevented disagreements from widening into a major crisis.
Former Abia Central Senator, Nkechi Nwaogu, who is the NDC candidate for the district, described Dickson’s handling of the post-primary period as one that placed the party’s collective interest above individual ambitions.
According to her, although no primary election is without imperfections, the leadership remained focused on ensuring fairness and party cohesion.
She appealed to aspirants who were unsuccessful at the primaries to remain within the fold, arguing that political contests should strengthen rather than divide the party.
Contrary to allegations that aspirants paid for tickets, a Canada-based former House of Representatives aspirant said his experience within the party did not support such claims.
“I witnessed much of the process firsthand. The National Leader’s attention after the primaries was on reconciling aggrieved stakeholders, not interfering with the committees or influencing outcomes,” he said.
An Edo State aspirant gave a similar account, stating that despite several meetings with Dickson and other party leaders, discussions never centred on money or financial inducement.
He described the former Bayelsa governor as a leader who had made personal sacrifices to build the NDC and urged members to rally behind the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, his running mate, Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, and all other candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.
In a separate reaction, Mazi Nnamdi Dickson Iroegbu, who did not secure the NDC ticket for the Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala Federal Constituency in Imo State, accepted the outcome of the process and pledged his continued support for the party.
In a Facebook post following the publication of the INEC list, Iroegbu congratulated the successful candidates and urged his supporters to remain united behind the NDC, saying the party’s broader objective should take precedence over individual aspirations.
The reactions are expected to bolster the NDC’s efforts to project internal unity as political parties intensify preparations for the 2027 general elections.