Political tensions are mounting within the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) following allegations by former House of Representatives member and Edo South senatorial aspirant, Ehiozuwa Agbonayinwa, that the party’s national leader, Senator Seriake Dickson, orchestrated his exclusion from the party’s 2027 senatorial ticket.
Speaking during an interview on Arise News’ News Day programme on Friday, Agbonayinwa expressed deep disappointment over developments surrounding the NDC’s Edo South senatorial primary election held on May 29, describing his experience in the party as a journey “from the frying pan to hellfire.”
The former lawmaker alleged that although delegates opted for a direct primary after efforts to reach a consensus among aspirants failed, the outcome of the exercise has yet to be officially announced, leaving his candidacy in limbo.
According to Agbonayinwa, he emerged victorious in the primary and was expecting formal confirmation from the party.
However, more than a week after the exercise, he said the results remained withheld, fueling concerns over possible internal interference.
“I have never experienced this, whether in the APC or the PDP,” he stated during the interview.
Agbonayinwa further accused Dickson of reversing his earlier support for his senatorial ambition.
He claimed that the former Bayelsa State governor personally encouraged him to contest the Edo South Senate seat on the NDC platform and advised him to obtain the party’s nomination form.
He said he subsequently consulted political stakeholders in his constituency and proceeded with the process based on Dickson’s encouragement.
“To my greatest surprise, the same man who asked me to go and buy the form, this morning we had a meeting and he said he never said so,” Agbonayinwa alleged.
The accusations have triggered fresh debate about internal democracy within the NDC and raised questions about the handling of its candidate selection process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Political observers say the controversy could pose a challenge to the party’s image as it seeks to position itself as a credible alternative in Nigeria’s political landscape.
As of the time of filing this report, neither Senator Seriake Dickson nor the leadership of the NDC had issued an official response to the allegations.
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