By Desmond Ogbonmwan
National Leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Seriake Dickson, has claimed that activist and politician Aisha Yesufu turned down an offer to contest for a seat in the House of Representatives, insisting that she considered the position beneath her political ambitions.
Dickson made the revelation during a stakeholders’ meeting of the party held in Abuja amid ongoing tensions surrounding the conduct of the party’s primary elections.
The former Bayelsa State governor disclosed that both he and the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, had attempted to accommodate Yesufu politically by offering her a House of Representatives ticket.
According to him, the activist declined the offer despite the intense competition usually associated with legislative positions.
“Do you know that Peter Obi and I offered Aisha Yesufu a House of Representatives ticket, but she turned it down? House of Representatives that people are fighting for, she said she’s too big for it,” Dickson told party stakeholders.
Internal Party Tensions
The disclosure comes amid growing disagreements within the NDC over the outcome and management of its primary elections.
The controversy intensified after Yesufu, who had been seeking the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) senatorial ticket under the party’s platform, publicly criticised Dickson’s leadership.
In a post shared on her verified X account, the activist accused the party leader of creating unnecessary divisions within the movement.
She wrote that Dickson appeared to be competing with Peter Obi and was “fighting a war no one is waging against him.”
Her comments sparked widespread debate among supporters of the opposition movement and followers of the party.
Political Reactions Expected
Dickson’s latest remarks are likely to fuel fresh discussions about the internal dynamics of the NDC as preparations for future elections continue.
Observers say the disagreement highlights broader challenges facing opposition parties as they attempt to build unity ahead of future political contests.
Neither Peter Obi nor Aisha Yesufu had publicly responded to Dickson’s comments at the time of filing this report.
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