By Eshioromeh Sebastian
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) ended its second National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja over the weekend with a sweeping declaration that the party is supreme, and candidates’ personal ambitions must take a back seat.
The declaration was contained in a statement issued on Sunday, June 7, in which the leadership of the party through it National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, announced a raft of resolutions designed to transform the NDC from a loose coalition of political heavyweights into what he called “a strong and enduring institution.”
But even as NEC members were declaring war on personality politics, the party’s own primary elections, conducted just days earlier, were already generating controversy that suggested the NDC’s lofty ambitions may be crashing into political reality.
The NEC resolutions, obtained by our correspondent, leave little room for ambiguity.
“The party remains supreme, and members are expected to align their personal interests and agendas with those of the party,” the communiqué read.
In what appeared a direct warning to the party’s growing roster of presidential heavyweights, including Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the NDC declared that it was “being built as an institution, not a personality cult, political movement, or Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to be used and discarded.”
The party also announced the establishment of a comprehensive Code of Conduct for officials and candidates, as well as a National Reconciliation Committee to mend fences with aggrieved members.
On financial probity, the NDC mandated that all campaign funds “must be received through dedicated party campaign accounts” and fully disclosed to party structures at all levels.
“The programs, policies, and appointments (except personal staff) of all governments elected on the platform of the party must be made in consultation with the party structure,” the communiqué added.
But even as the party was projecting an image of institutional discipline, the ghost of its recently concluded primaries hovered over the proceedings.
The NDC conducted its primaries in late May 2026 to select candidates for various legislative seats ahead of future elections. But rather than showcasing the party’s commitment to transparency, the exercise has been trailed by allegations of irregularities, secretive processes, and candidate imposition.
In Imo State, an aspirant for the Owerri West Federal Constituency seat, Okere Kingdom Nnamdi, has threatened legal action against the party. Nnamdi alleged that no valid primary election was conducted in his constituency and that party tickets were effectively being sold to the highest bidder.
“If you are now saying that giving the ticket is based on somebody that has donated N10 million to the party, that is nowhere in the Constitution of Nigeria, the Electoral Act, or INEC guidelines,” Nnamdi told journalists at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja .
He described the primary process as “a complicated secrecy” and accused state party officials of refusing to receive his petitions. Nnamdi further argued that the credibility of the party’s reform agenda — championed by its presidential standard-bearer, Peter Obi — depends on internal democracy.
“We need credible people and pro-democracy activists in the National Assembly who will make the right laws and constitutional amendments that can bring about a new Nigeria,” he said .
Similarly, in Delta State, a senatorial aspirant, Dr. Austin Orette, has threatened legal action over what he described as irregularities in the Delta South primary. Orette alleged that the outcome “did not reflect the wishes of delegates” and that individuals who did not actively participate may have been favoured .
“The issue before us is larger than any individual ambition. It concerns the integrity of the electoral process, the sanctity of the ballot and the confidence of ordinary Nigerians who continue to believe that politics can be conducted with honesty and accountability,” Orette said .
The party’s response to the growing crisis has been to disown results circulating on social media. On May 31, 2026, the NDC issued a statement declaring that only the NEC, the same body that met over the weekend, has the power to announce the outcome of the primaries .
That explanation, however, is unlikely to satisfy aggrieved aspirants who argue that a party cannot preach transparency while conducting its internal elections in what they describe as secrecy.
The timing of the primary crisis carries an additional layer of irony that has not been lost on political observers.
Many NDC members and supporters, particularly those who rallied behind Obi’s 2023 presidential campaign — have been vocal advocates of real-time electronic transmission of election results by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The demand for real-time transmission, which would allow Nigerians to view polling unit results instantly online, has become a rallying cry for transparency activists who argue that manual collation creates opportunities for result manipulation.
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