The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has just issued a press statement defending its recently concluded primaries. It paints a picture of orderly consultation, stakeholder-driven consensus, and respect for internal democracy. The party absolves the National Secretariat of any imposition and credits five respected South-East leaders — Chief Onyema Ugochukwu (Abia), Dr. Sam Egwu (Ebonyi), Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo (Enugu), Chief Achike Udenwa (Imo), and Peter Obi’s team in Anambra — with steering the process in their states.
But the statement reads more like an attempt to shift blame than a genuine defence of transparency. In reality, these caucus leaders appear to have presided over processes that sidelined capable, popular aspirants in favour of weaker options — a pattern that risks squandering the enormous goodwill and “Obi wave” in the South-East ahead of 2027.
The Enugu Example: A Case Study in Compromise
Nowhere is this more evident than in Enugu State under Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo’s influence. Aspirants with proven capacity, name recognition, grassroots mobilisation, and the financial muscle to compete were reportedly resisted or marginalised. Instead, the process favoured candidates with limited electability — even as the party positions itself to ride Peter Obi’s popularity.
One notable exception on the list is Sir Chinyeaka Ohaa, a man with administrative competence and public service record. But the broader National Assembly tickets and other key positions tell a story of deliberate weakness. Popular and capable aspirants who invested heavily — tens of millions of naira in campaigns and organisation — watched as primaries either failed to hold meaningfully or produced outcomes that defy logic.
When confronted, excuses flow freely: “micro-zoning arrangements,” procedural technicalities, or claims of prior agreements. Yet these same leaders allegedly assured aspirants there was no such zoning at the senatorial level before forms were purchased. Why announce micro-zoning after the fact? Why front a candidate from Nkanu West (which has produced governors) over zones like Enugu North that have long been marginalised in such considerations? And crucially, why has there been no genuine post-primary meeting of top aspirants for reconciliation and consensus-building?
This is not consultation — it is circumvention. It hands easy victories to the opposition while pretending to uphold “established structures.”
A Pattern Across the South-East
What happened in Enugu is not isolated. Similar complaints echo across the five South-East states. The caucus leaders, entrusted with enormous responsibility due to their stature, seem to have prioritised personal or factional interests over winnability. In a season where 2027 demands candidates of character, courage, compassion, competence, capacity, and commitment — especially those who can win even without Obi on the ballot in every constituency — the party is fielding options that may not survive scrutiny.
The NDC’s own statement acknowledges “reports of some aspirants prematurely declaring themselves as candidates, as well as complaints,” claiming these have been “addressed accordingly” via the appeal panel. Yet the rush to reconciliation without deep accountability risks papering over cracks that could collapse the entire structure.
This matters profoundly because the South-East remains a critical pillar for Peter Obi’s 2027 ambitions. Compromised processes here do not just disappoint local aspirants; they undermine the broader opposition realignment, demobilise enthusiastic grassroots, and erode trust in the NDC as a genuine vehicle for change.
Nigerians — especially the youth and Obi supporters who flocked to the party
