A prominent member of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Aisha Yesufu, has openly criticised the party’s National Leader, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, accusing him of failing to unite aggrieved members after the party’s controversial primaries and warning that personal interests could derail the opposition’s quest to win power in 2027.
In a strongly worded statement posted on her X account on June 11, 2026, Yesufu said she was disappointed by Dickson’s post-primary media outing, alleging that he focused more on himself than on promoting the party’s candidates and rebuilding confidence among supporters.
The activist and politician disclosed that despite her reservations about the conduct of the primaries, she chose to support the party’s broader objectives and worked to calm aggrieved supporters across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
“While I take my time to properly address your allusion of me not playing by the rules, which I consider very disingenuous seeing how I followed the process, and even when you had insisted there would be no primaries for senate, I let things go and asked my teeming supporters to focus on the bigger picture,” she wrote.
According to Yesufu, she personally toured parts of the FCT to pacify party faithful who felt sidelined after anticipated primaries failed to hold.
“I toured the FCT pacifying my supporters and party people who rightfully felt disrespected as they were all waiting at their respective headquarters for primaries that never happened. I played field politics, I never waited for anyone to give me ticket,” she stated.
Taking direct aim at Dickson’s recent interview, Yesufu said she found his remarks “painfully appalling,” arguing that his comments created the impression of rivalry with the party’s presidential candidate at a critical moment for the opposition.
“This part of the interview was so painfully appalling to watch. It looked as if you were insecure and in competition with your Presidential Candidate. Your first one-on-one interview after primaries and instead of selling your candidates and giving confidence to people on how set the road to winning the 2027 election was, you made it about yourself,” she said.
She further accused the former Bayelsa governor of treating the NDC as a vehicle whose mission had already been accomplished through registration rather than a political platform focused on winning elections.
“With all due respect sir, it looks as if you consider the NDC a Special Purpose Vehicle whose aim has been achieved just by being registered instead of a Political Party whose aim is to win the 2027 General election decisively. The registration of NDC should be a means to an end and not an end in itself,” Yesufu stated.
The outspoken activist maintained that Dickson’s immediate responsibility after the primaries should have been to reconcile dissatisfied aspirants and rally supporters behind the party’s electoral ambitions.
“As a leader of a Political party, your number one job in that interview was to pacify aspirants many of whom are rightfully aggrieved and secondly to call on supporters to bear with the party and support it but you ended up antagonising the very people you would need to win election. Every vote counts! A leader must stoop to conquer!”
Yesufu stressed that nobody was challenging Dickson’s leadership of the party, insisting that the real focus should be defeating the ruling establishment in 2027.
“No one can take away your leadership of NDC, no one is interested in that! The focus is on Nigeria winning the 2027 election. It looked as if you are fighting a war no one is waging with you. You don’t have anything to prove to anyone, just lead!”
She also accused the party leader of avoiding responsibility whenever controversies emerged within the party, urging him instead to acknowledge mistakes and provide direction.
“It is also interesting how as a leader I see you shifting the blame with any process that doesn’t go well or is called out. Even in this statement below, you did! Take all responsibility! The party is young. It was overwhelmed. Mistakes will be made. Accepting the mistakes and being accountable is how the party will get better,” she said.
Warning that internal divisions could undermine the opposition’s chances in the next general election, Yesufu urged party leaders to prioritise national interest over personal ambitions.
“There is a whole battle ahead of us. Rescuing Nigeria from the current state it is in should be the main focus, not people’s fragile ego!”
She concluded by citing motivational speaker Jim Rohn, saying: “IF WHAT YOU DID YESTERDAY IS STILL LOOKING BIG TO YOU TODAY, THEN YOU ARE NOT DOING ENOUGH!!!”
The latest criticism exposes growing tensions within the NDC following its recent primaries and comes amid efforts by the opposition party to position itself as a formidable challenger ahead of the 2027 general elections.
