Dickson Blames Direct Primaries For Party Crisis

The founder of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and former governor of Bayelsa State Senator Henry Seriake Dickson has said direct primaries imposed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), is responsible for most of the crisis in his party and other political parties.

Dickson, who was a guest on Arise Primetime programme on Wednesday night stated that “direct primaries in the way and manner electoral laws made it has created crisis.

“The crisis could have been worse if not for the way we all have managed it. The aspirants, the leaders of the party and myself have shown commitment for the party.

” The All Progressive Congress (APC) has been in federal power since 2015 with two presidents back to back, control of National Assembly, governors and yet their primaries had challenges.”

He also said the electoral act has no business to prescribe mandatory direct primaries for political parties. It should be left for the political parties to decide their style. This is the cause of the crisis most political parties are having now.

On the accusations of running the party as he likes, he said he is just the national leader and he works with other people and don’t run the day to day activities of the party alone.

“Most of the complains from the people are discussion taken at the state level and are wrongly attributed to me, the party chairman and even the national working committee,” he stated.

On the allegations of giving ticket to the richest person, he said we don’t sell position and no body can claim that I have collected money from him or her for political positions.

He however said resource are key to the success of political parties and elections and most political parties lookout for who has the resource to push the party to success.

He however, noted that the NDC leadership is intect and there is no crisis.