Aisha Yesufu, a former Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Senate seat, has claimed that the primary was rigged and did not represent the wishes of the members.
In a statement on her X account titled “On the Record: NDC primaries… A better Abuja is inevitable,” she dismissed reports that she withdrew from the race, insisting that she remained in the contest until its conclusion.
“I did not quit, I did not drop out of the race. I stayed to the end,” she said, while also ruling out going to court over the exercise.
Yesufu claimed that she entered partisan politics because she believed that direct involvement in governance and decision-making was the only way to bring about significant change.
She claims that even though she was fully aware of the difficulties Nigeria’s political system faced when she entered the race, she was adamant about pursuing her goals without sacrificing her morals.
In retrospect, she noted that by organising volunteers and involving locals at the ward and community levels, her team created a powerful grassroots movement throughout the Federal Capital Territory.
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She asserted that the campaign’s power led to an apparent shift in the primary process away from public scrutiny.
Yesufu claimed that in the end, what was portrayed as primary produced a predetermined result.
She stated that there were numerous postponements, last-minute site changes, and violations of the party’s established rules during the exercise.
claimed that direct primaries held at local government offices should have been replaced with a delegate-based procedure.
She further said that instead of an open contest among delegates, the final affirmation of a nominee happened behind closed doors.
“The contest was not decided by delegates in the open; it was affirmed in a closed room, away from the people whose voices it was supposed to reflect,” she said.
Despite her reservations about the process, Yesufu said she would not pursue petitions or litigation, arguing that her experience had provided valuable insight into the workings of Nigeria’s political system.
She stressed that her observations were related specifically to the FCT senatorial primary and should not be interpreted as a reflection of events in other states.
On the future of NDC, Yesufu maintained that the party remained a viable platform for political change despite its shortcomings.
She expressed appreciation to party members working towards what she described as transformational leadership ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Yesufu thanked her supporters and volunteers for their commitment during the campaign, saying the movement built around her candidacy remained intact.
“This is not the end. What we built, the network, the credibility, the grassroots trust, cannot be taken away in a backroom,” she said.
Efforts to obtain an official reaction from the NDC on the allegations were not immediately successful as of press time.
