Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi has moved to calm tensions within the party after a public disagreement between activist Aisha Yesufu and senior party leaders over the conduct of the party's recent primaries.
The dispute escalated after NDC National Leader Seriake Dickson accused Yesufu of unfairly criticising the party despite efforts to accommodate her political ambitions.
Dickson disclosed that he and Obi had offered Yesufu a House of Representatives ticket, but she declined it while pursuing the FCT Senate seat.
“Peter Obi and I offered Aisha Yesufu a House of Representatives ticket, but she turned it down,” Dickson said during a stakeholders' meeting.
He added that the Senate ticket had already been earmarked for another party member.
Yesufu had earlier criticised Dickson's leadership, accusing him of focusing on personal relevance rather than the party's goal of winning the 2027 election.
She said the NDC should concentrate on building support and addressing concerns arising from the primaries.
The controversy also fueled wider debates within the party over allegations of irregularities in the primaries and claims of candidate imposition.
NDC leaders have denied wrongdoing, insisting that candidates emerged through transparent and lawful processes.
Amid the growing tensions, Obi held a closed-door meeting with Dickson and members of the party's National Working Committee. The meeting lasted about three hours and focused on resolving issues arising from the primaries and restoring unity within the opposition party.
Announcing the outcome, Dickson said party leaders had “amicably resolved all the issues” discussed during the meeting. He also urged members to “stop the bickering and name-calling and focus on the bigger picture” of preparing for the 2027 general election.
The latest intervention is expected to ease tensions within the NDC as it seeks to present a united front ahead of the next election cycle.
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