By Aaron OssaI
The National Leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, has urged Nigerian youths to mobilise nationwide for the party ahead of the 2027 general elections, declaring its ambition to win the presidency and secure a majority in the National Assembly.
Dickson made the call on Wednesday in Abuja when he received the National Coordinator of The Dickson Movement for Democracy, Comrade Emmanuel Ogbidi, and members of the group at his residence, where he was decorated as its Grand Patron.
The former Bayelsa State governor urged the movement and other pro-democracy groups to intensify grassroots mobilisation, support all NDC candidates and protect their votes during the elections.
He said the party was determined to win the presidency on the first ballot and secure enough legislative seats to implement its reform and transformation agenda.
“The presidential election is very important to us. All elections are important. We want to win the presidency on the first ballot. We also want to win a majority of seats in the National Assembly, where our president and vice president can run the government of reform and transformation,” he said.
Dickson urged young Nigerians to resist intimidation and inducement, describing the 2027 elections as an opportunity to assess the performance of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and determine the country’s political direction.
He said the NDC’s agenda focused on restoring national security, rebuilding the education and healthcare sectors, reorganising the economy, stimulating production and supporting small and medium-sized enterprises.
Other priorities, he added, included strengthening agriculture and manufacturing, tackling poverty and unemployment, and promoting national unity and inclusion.
Describing the party’s platform as one of national renewal, Dickson said Nigeria had experienced significant setbacks under the APC-led government since 2015 and needed a new direction to address insecurity and economic hardship.
“The ticket of the NDC is a ticket of restoration of our country,” he declared, urging youths to familiarise themselves with the party’s policies and communicate its programmes to voters.
He stressed that the party’s electoral ambition extended beyond the presidential contest to legislative and other elective positions, urging the movement to work closely with state structures, campaign coordinators and other party officials.
Dickson, however, cautioned against violence and abusive rhetoric, insisting that the party’s campaign would focus on issues, policy alternatives and electoral integrity.
“We are not for violence. We are not for abuses. We want the ruling party to justify their re-election claim because, as I said, a re-election is a referendum on a sitting government,” he said.
He called for credible elections based on the principle of one person, one vote, urging Nigerians to reject practices that undermine their freedom to choose their leaders.
The former governor also criticised the alleged exploitation of poverty to influence voters, arguing that economic hardship should not be used to compel Nigerians to support any political party.
Earlier, Ogbidi said the movement adopted Dickson as its Grand Patron after examining the country’s political environment and identifying the need for leaders committed to accountability, transparency, prudent management of resources and selfless service.
He said the organisation was established in response to what it considered a leadership deficit and the need to groom young Nigerians capable of defending constitutional democracy and sustaining a viable multiparty system.
According to him, the movement assessed potential mentors before settling on Dickson, whose political career, he said, demonstrated the capacity to build and sustain opposition movements.
Ogbidi described the emergence of the NDC, founded by Dickson, as an alternative for Nigerians concerned about the possibility of the country drifting towards a one-party system.
He commended the former governor for providing an opposition platform at a time when, according to him, many politicians were gravitating towards the ruling party.
“We took a microscopic view into the political space of Nigeria and asked ourselves who was capable of being a role model to us, mentoring us and guiding us towards building a Nigeria that truly serves Nigerians,” he said.
Ogbidi explained that the decision to make Dickson Grand Patron went beyond political endorsement, noting that the movement intended to develop a new generation of responsible leaders and political ideologues.
He said that although the 2027 elections were an immediate priority, the group’s long-term objective was to establish a sustainable platform for leadership development and democratic participation beyond the polls.
The coordinator disclosed that the movement’s membership registration was approaching 10,000 nationwide within weeks of its formation.
He said the organisation had begun initiatives to promote multiparty democracy, protect constitutional governance and encourage Nigerians to participate actively in the political process.
Ogbidi pledged to mobilise support for all NDC candidates and ensure that votes cast for the party were protected.
“Our objective is to mobilise horizontally and vertically across this country to support all candidates of the NDC and ensure that not a single vote belonging to the party is missing,” he said.
He appealed to Dickson to accept the group’s invitation to serve as Grand Patron and provide guidance and mentorship.
In his response, Dickson thanked the movement’s leadership for the recognition, saying its formation reflected the determination of young Nigerians from different parts of the country to contribute to democratic development despite prevailing economic challenges.
He said he had not previously been aware of the group’s activities but welcomed its decision to identify with his ideals and the NDC.
