Political activist Aisha Yesufu has accused the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) of subverting its internal processes for selecting the party’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT) senatorial candidate, stating she refused to compromise her values in an exercise she described as unjust. 

Yesufu raised the allegations in a statement issued Friday night, shortly after announcing that the party would not hold competitive primaries for the FCT Senate seat, effectively ending her bid for the nomination.

The development follows her May 6 declaration to run for the position after defecting from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), a move she previously stated was inspired by her leadership experience in her former party. Her entry into the race coincided with widespread speculation that the NDC leadership had already resolved to hand the FCT ticket to Amanda Pam, a long-standing party member.

Allegations of Procedural Irregularities

While Yesufu initially urged her supporters to remain calm and focus on the 2027 general elections, her subsequent statement sharply criticized the internal process, alleging it violated both party guidelines and electoral frameworks.

"I understood what I was getting into. I knew that the quality of our politics has not yet risen to the occasion, that values-based candidates do not easily emerge by merit in a system built to resist them," Yesufu stated. "But I made a decision going in: I would not compromise my values... I did not leave advocacy to go into politics. I took advocacy into politics."

Yesufu argued that the momentum generated by her grassroots campaign, driven by the "SAY-Nation" movement, forced the party to alter its selection strategy. She alleged that the contest was moved away from a public vote to a "clandestine affirmation behind closed doors."

According to the activist, the primary process faced deliberate delays, last-minute venue changes, and a sudden shift from direct primaries at local government headquarters to a centralized, delegate-based system.

"When the moment came, 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," Yesufu claimed, adding that any official narrative portraying the exercise as free and fair would contradict the actual events and the guidelines of the Electoral Act.

Focus on the 2027 General Elections

Explaining her decision not to legally challenge the outcome, Yesufu stated she chose to prioritize political insight over a prolonged grievance process.

"I ran to win. But when the process was subverted, I made a choice: I would not exhaust myself in a grievance process designed to wear people down," she said, noting that the experience provided her with an invaluable understanding of the political architecture.

Yesufu clarified that her grievances were strictly limited to the FCT senatorial primary and should not be used to judge the party's conduct in other states. Despite her criticisms, she reaffirmed her support for the party's national objectives.

"Despite its shortcomings, the NDC remains the only party that has given the best presidential candidate in the 2027 electoral cycle a platform to run," she concluded.

As of the time of reporting, the NDC has not issued an official response to Yesufu's allegations.