Disparaging Me Or Any NDC Leader Is Nonsensical, Dickson Blasts Obi Supporters

By Rotela Oguns

Seriake Dickson, national leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has warned supporters of the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to avoid unguarded utterances that are likely to cause crisis in the party.

Dickson noted that disparaging him or any other prominent leader of the party over the outcome of the recently conducted primaries across the nation is nonsensical.

The former Bayelsea governor spoke on Arise Television’s Prime Time on Wednesday.

“If you are genuinely supporting Peter Obi and you are disparaging me, the leader, or the platform itself. That is nonsensical,” Dickson said.

He stated that Obi’s supporters are not doing the NDC any favour by joining the party, adding that it’s the other way round as the opposition party is doing its candidates a favour by giving them the opportunity to contest elective positions on its platform in the 2027 elections.

The NDC party leader stressed that Obi and his leaders ought to be grateful to him and other NDC stakeholders they met in the party.

“Don’t make it look like anyone is doing NDC a favour. No one is,” Dickson said.

“Rather, the NDC and I and my colleagues are doing people a favour by granting our platform.” he added.

The lawmaker urged Obi’s supporters to stop attacking the party or its leaders, noting that such actions undermine the political vehicle carrying their preferred candidate.

According to the party leader, NDC has demonstrated confidence in Obi by adopting him as its sole presidential candidate and selecting a vice-presidential candidate without internal disputes.

“Nobody paid shishi. So, if a presidential candidate didn’t pay shishi to be made the sole presidential candidate and sole vice-presidential candidate, that same party cannot be the one saying that small people are underprivileged,” he said.

Dickson, however, dismissed the reports making the rounds that there is crisis in the party following its nationwide primaries.

“Peter Obi is a cherished member of our party,” he said.

“On our own, we have made him a presidential candidate. Sole presidential candidate. And that counts for something. We are working well together. There’s no crisis.”

He added that while supporters may not feel obliged to express gratitude to those who built the party, they should recognise that attacking the platform would ultimately hurt the candidates they support.