A South-East chieftain of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Mr Maxwell Igbokwe, has urged the party’s leadership to urgently resolve all pending disputes arising from its primaries.
Igbokwe said the party must settle the issues before the Independent National Electoral Commission’s deadline for uploading candidates’ names.
He made the call in an interview in Abuja on Tuesday.
According to him, quick resolution of the disputes is necessary to protect party unity, build public confidence and prepare the NDC properly for the 2027 general elections.
He warned the party leadership against imposing candidates or delaying the release of outstanding primary election results.
INEC had fixed July 11 as the deadline for political parties to upload the names of National Assembly candidates.
The commission also set July 17 as the deadline for governorship and State House of Assembly candidates.
Igbokwe said any lack of transparency in the handling of primary election outcomes could weaken internal democracy within the party.
He added that unresolved disputes could damage the NDC’s credibility at a time when many Nigerians are looking for a credible political alternative.
According to him, the NDC was built on the principles of transparency, accountability and internal democracy.
He said the party must not depart from those values if it wants to maintain the trust of its members and supporters.
Igbokwe urged the national leadership of the party to follow the NDC constitution strictly.
He said only the names of candidates who were duly elected through lawful and transparent primaries should be submitted to INEC.
The party chieftain expressed concern that results of some primaries conducted more than two months ago had still not been officially released.
He said the delay had created uncertainty among members and aspirants.
According to him, such uncertainty could weaken confidence in the party’s commitment to fairness and due process.
Igbokwe said the leadership must respect the outcome of credible primaries and avoid any attempt to substitute duly elected candidates.
He noted that the goal was not to create division but to protect the integrity of the party.
He said millions of Nigerians were drawn to the NDC because they believed in its promise of a better and more transparent political culture.
Igbokwe specifically raised concern over the House of Representatives primary for the AMAC/Bwari Federal Constituency in the Federal Capital Territory.
He alleged that there were attempts to manipulate the nomination process in the constituency.
He urged the party to act quickly and fairly to prevent further tension among members.
The NDC chieftain said the party’s handling of the matter would send a strong message about its respect for internal democracy.
He added that resolving the disputes before INEC’s deadline would help the party enter the 2027 election season with greater unity and credibility.
Igbokwe maintained that transparency, fairness and accountability must guide every decision taken by the party leadership.
He said the NDC could only present itself as a serious alternative if it first proves that it can manage its internal processes honestly.
