𝗡𝗗𝗖 𝗔𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝘂𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗗𝗶𝗰𝗸𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗢𝗳 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗢𝗻 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘆 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀

𝗕𝗬 𝗡𝗜𝗚𝗘𝗥𝗗𝗘𝗟𝗧𝗔 𝗩𝗢𝗜𝗖𝗘,

𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝘁𝗮, 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮.

A senatorial aspirant for Edo South under the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Ehiozuwa Agbonayinwa, has accused the party’s national leader, Senator Seriake Dickson, of dominating decision-making processes within the party and undermining democratic principles.

Agbonayinwa, who has consistently protested what he described as his exclusion from the party’s senatorial ticket despite allegedly winning the primary election conducted on May 29, made the allegations during an interview on Arise News on Friday.

The former member of the House of Representatives expressed dissatisfaction over the party’s failure to announce the results of its primary elections for Senate, House of Representatives, governorship, and state legislative positions.

According to him, the delay has raised concerns among party members who participated in the electoral process.

“I think what is wrong is that one man cannot dictate for the whole NDC. We have a national leader, a national chairman, a secretary, a national organising secretary, and other officials working hard for the party. One individual should not determine the future of all party members,” he said.

Agbonayinwa further criticized what he described as a lack of internal democracy, insisting that party decisions should reflect the will of members rather than the preferences of a single leader.

“This is not democracy. Democracy is for the people and by the people. The people should be allowed to decide their own fate,” he stated.

The aspirant maintained that he emerged victorious in the Edo South senatorial primary and questioned why the results had yet to be officially announced more than a week after the exercise.

“What are they hiding? The primary was held on May 29 and this is already June. If someone won, the result should be announced,” he added.

Agbonayinwa also alleged that party leaders were considering replacing successful candidates with preferred nominees, including a female aspirant, in an effort to achieve gender representation.

He argued that while inclusiveness is important, candidates who emerged through a transparent primary process should be allowed to retain their mandates.

“Those who won should be given the opportunity to represent the party. Since I won the senatorial seat, I should be given that opportunity,” he said.

The NDC is yet to officially respond to the allegations or release the results of the disputed primary elections.