Henry Seriake Dickson, national leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has warned party aspirants against defecting after winning elections on the party’s platform.
Dickson spoke on Monday during the NDC aspirants’ dinner held in Abuja.
The former Bayelsa governor said the party is being built on ideology and long-term commitment, not personal ambition.
“We are not just building a political platform that people will use to win elections and later jump and leave,” he said.
“The NDC is not a special-purpose vehicle for any human being.”
Dickson said the party aims to become a lasting political movement built on principles and service.
“We are building together a political party that will stand the test of time,” he said.
“We are building together a monumental movement that will outlast all of us.”
The former governor compared the NDC to long-standing political parties across the world.
“I liken it to parties like the ANC,” he said.
“I liken it even to the Chinese Communist Party, the parties in Ghana, Europe and the Americas.”
According to him, the NDC wants to create a system where ordinary Nigerians can rise politically without godfatherism.
“We want to build a democratic movement where a child of nobody can be given a chance,” he said.
COMMITMENT TO THE PARTY
Dickson urged aspirants at all levels to remain committed to the survival and growth of the party, whether they succeed in the immediate election cycle or not.
“You are not in the NDC as birds of passage,” he said.
“You are in the NDC to stay and to build and to nurture.”
The former governor, however, admitted that the party’s internal processes may not be completely perfect because of time constraints.
“I cannot guarantee that the processes the party will unfold will be completely foolproof,” he said.
“But we want to build a party of principles, a party with a clear ideology of service, and not a one-man show.”
