– Says Obi, Kwankwaso ticket offers opportunity to rebuild economy, education, healthcare
Sunday Aborisade in Abuja
National Leader of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, has urged Nigerian youths to mobilise support for the party ahead of the 2027 general election, arguing its proposed agenda offers an opportunity to tackle insecurity, poverty, unemployment and the deterioration of critical national institutions.
Dickson who described young Nigerians as the owners of the country’s future, said their active participation in the electoral process was essential to reversing what he characterised as years of economic decline, worsening insecurity and governance failures under the ruling party.
He identified the restoration of national security, rebuilding of the education system, improvement of healthcare delivery, expansion of productive economic activities and promotion of national unity as the major priorities underpinning the NDC’s political agenda.
The former Bayelsa State governor also urged youths to support the party’s presidential ticket of Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, insisting that the forthcoming election presented Nigerians with an opportunity to change the country’s political direction.
Dickson spoke in Abuja while receiving members of the Dickson Movement for Democracy, led by its National Coordinator, Comrade Ogbidi Emmanuel, who formally presented the organisation to him and requested that he serve as its Grand Patron.
The movement, according to its coordinator, was established to promote multiparty democracy, nurture a new generation of responsible political leaders and mobilise young Nigerians behind the NDC’s candidates in the 2027 elections.
Dickson, who accepted the Grand Patron position, said the involvement of young people in the country’s political development was particularly important at a time when Nigeria was facing enormous economic, security and governance challenges.
He said, “I also want to appeal directly to the young people of Nigeria. You are the owners of the future we are trying to safeguard, and you must take an active interest in the country’s political direction.
“I encourage you to identify with the NDC’s reform agenda, which is aimed at restoring hope, rebuilding institutions and putting Nigeria on a path of sustainable development.
“Our ticket represents an opportunity to restore the country and address the numerous challenges confronting our people.”
Explaining the priorities of the party, Dickson said the first responsibility of an NDC-led government would be to address the worsening security situation across the country.
“First, we must tackle insecurity. We need to end the killings, banditry, kidnappings and other forms of violence affecting communities across the country,” he said.
He also identified the rebuilding of the education sector as a critical component of the party’s proposed reforms, arguing that the country’s educational infrastructure and institutions required urgent attention to provide Nigerian children and young people with quality education and opportunities.
On healthcare, the former governor said the NDC would prioritise strengthening healthcare delivery and ensuring that Nigerians had access to affordable and reliable medical services.
Dickson further advocated a fundamental reorganisation of the economy, stressing the need to move the country away from excessive dependence on consumption towards production.
He said the party’s economic thinking was anchored on strengthening small and medium-sized enterprises, developing agricultural value chains and promoting manufacturing as essential pathways to job creation, improved living standards and national prosperity.
According to him, these interventions, alongside national unity, political stability and greater inclusion, would help create a country where every Nigerian, irrespective of geographical location or background, would have a genuine sense of belonging.
On the electoral objective of the NDC, Dickson said the party was determined to win the presidency on the first ballot and secure a majority in the National Assembly to enable its prospective administration to implement the reforms it was proposing.
He said, “The presidential election is particularly important, but every election matters. Our objective is to win the presidency on the first ballot and secure a majority of seats in the National Assembly.
“This will enable our president and vice-president to implement the reforms and transformational policies needed to rebuild the country,” he said.
He therefore urged the Dickson Movement and other support groups to mobilise Nigerians across the country for all NDC candidates, from the presidential contest to the National Assembly and other elective positions.
Dickson also criticised the alleged use of poverty and economic hardship to influence voters, insisting that temporary relief materials and handouts should not be used to make citizens feel indebted to political leaders.
He said Nigerians should not be compelled by their economic circumstances to support candidates or political parties against their convictions.
“Poverty has become so widespread that many citizens are struggling to meet their most basic needs. Some Nigerians have been reduced to depending on handouts and other forms of assistance to survive.
“Nigerians should not be made to feel indebted to political leaders for providing temporary relief after years of economic hardship.
“No one should use poverty as an instrument to compel citizens to vote for a particular party or candidate,” he said.
He urged young Nigerians, women and other citizens to resist political inducement and assess the performance of the incumbent administration before deciding whom to support in the next election.
The NDC leader also called on the movement to work with the party’s existing structures at the state and local government levels to ensure effective coordination of its mobilisation activities.
He stressed that the party’s campaign must be issue-based and devoid of insults, personal attacks and violence, adding that political parties should persuade voters through their policies and programmes.
“Our message must be clear: one person, one vote; one youth, one vote; and every Nigerian’s vote must count,” he said.
Earlier, the National Coordinator of the Dickson Movement for Democracy, Emmanuel, said the organisation was established after its members identified what they considered a significant leadership deficit in Nigeria and the urgent need to groom a new generation of political leaders committed to prudence, accountability, transparency and responsible governance.
He said the movement had chosen Dickson as its political mentor after examining his political experience, democratic credentials and record of opposition politics, particularly his role in establishing the NDC as an alternative political platform.
According to him, the emergence of the NDC under Dickson’s leadership offered young Nigerians an opportunity to resist what they perceived as the growing concentration of political power and the possibility of Nigeria drifting towards a one-party state.
Emmanuel disclosed that the movement had recorded nearly 10,000 members across the country within a few weeks of its establishment.
He said its immediate objective was to mobilise support for all NDC candidates in the 2027 general election, while ensuring that the votes cast for them were protected and properly accounted for.
“We seek your guidance, mentorship and support as we pursue this long-term vision,” he told Dickson.
Responding, Dickson expressed appreciation to the movement’s leadership and members, describing their decision to organise voluntarily across the country as an important demonstration of commitment to democratic development.
He particularly commended the young Nigerians for mobilising resources and travelling from different parts of the country despite the prevailing economic hardship and security challenges.
He encouraged the movement to expand its membership and collaborate with other support groups working towards similar political objectives.
The NDC leader also said he would use available opportunities during the campaign period to explain the party’s policies and encourage Nigerians to support its candidates at all levels.
On the reported Ebola situation and its possible implications for the 2027 general election, Dickson urged Nigerians to remain vigilant, while calling on relevant health authorities to provide accurate information and strengthen preparedness measures.
He cautioned against speculation and the circulation of unverified information, saying the government should address the broader public health concerns rather than focus exclusively on the possible implications for the elections.