The National Leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Seriake Dickson, has cautioned political support groups affiliated with the party against attempting to operate as parallel structures or compete with the party for control.
Dickson spoke while receiving former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, into the NDC.
The former Bayelsa State governor said support groups had an important role to play in mobilising voters and promoting the party’s candidates but should not assume the functions of a political party.
He said, ‘Support groups don’t compete with the political party that is sponsoring candidates. Support groups don’t compete for supremacy, for space. Support groups are what they are, support groups.’
According to him, support groups do not sponsor candidates and should work with the political party and its campaign structures to mobilise support at the grassroots.
‘Support groups don’t play the role of a political party. They don’t sponsor candidates. They provide grassroots support, mobilisation, and support. They don’t convert themselves to become critics of the political party sponsored,’ he said.
Dickson maintained that the NDC recognised the importance of support groups and had made provisions within its structure for their coordination.
‘The NDC from day one made it clear that we have a huge place, an important place for all support groups. I’ve actually held meetings with Obidient groups,’ he said.
He urged the various support groups associated with the party to focus on mobilising voters and propagating the programmes and candidates of the NDC ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to him, the party’s support groups would have a role in linking campaign teams with grassroots structures once the campaign structures are established.
‘They have a role for them to play, but they have to confine themselves to their role,’ Dickson said.
The NDC leader further argued that the existence of several support groups was not a problem, stressing that the groups could complement the party’s structures rather than compete with them.
‘Our advice to support groups is that the more they are, the merrier. You have a role for you to play, and your work is huge,’ he said.
He urged the groups to concentrate on ‘providing support for our candidates, galvanising support at the grassroots level, propagating the candidates and the party.’
Dickson’s comments come amid continuing efforts by the NDC to coordinate the different political support bases associated with its presidential and vice-presidential candidates, Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso.
The NDC leader had previously said the Obidient and Kwankwasiyya groups could maintain their identities but should work towards the party’s electoral objectives.
He said the party remained open to working with the different support organisations while insisting that their activities should complement, rather than substitute for, the formal structures of the NDC.