The National Leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Seriake Dickson, says the party remains open to a potential coalition with the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Mr. Dickson, who represents Bayelsa West District in the Senate, disclosed this on Sunday night during an appearance on Channels Television’s *Sunday Politics*.
The lawmaker boasted that, despite being established just five months ago, the NDC has quickly positioned itself as a major opposition voice in the country.
When asked by the programme anchor, Seun Okinbaloye, if the NDC would consider a coalition with other opposition figures in the ADC, such as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar—the ADC’s projected 2027 presidential candidate—Mr. Dickson said all options remain on the table.
“As an opposition leader, we will be open to coalition discussions. Our party, the NDC, will be open to conversations within that space,” Mr. Dickson said.
“After the nomination processes have ended, we’ll get to another phase of discussion [for a coalition]. Whether we’ll agree, I don’t know. I will try. Where it will lead to, I don’t know. But those are options that are open,” he added.
However, the former Bayelsa State governor emphasized that any alliance must respect the NDC’s existing lineup of candidates.
“We hope that whatever discussions take place will lead to the NDC candidates being backed because we know the value of the candidates we are putting forward. We are not claiming superiority,” he explained.
### **Confidence in Defeating APC**
Mr. Dickson dismissed assertions that the NDC lacks the capacity to challenge President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027. He maintained that the ruling party would be defeated in a free and fair electoral contest.
“As leader of the NDC, and as a Nigerian who knows the feelings and yearnings of Nigerians, and who also knows that their aspirations have not been met, we believe that the APC as a party, not just the President, will be defeated massively,” he said.
He urged the APC-led federal government to ensure a level playing field by allowing all opposition parties to contest freely if it is confident of victory.
“Allow every party that wants to contest. You can only defeat them in an electoral contest. So, let us have a free and fair election,” he said.
NDC Legally Intact Despite Court Ruling
Addressing a recent ruling by the Federal High Court in Lokoja, Kogi State, which set aside an earlier judgment directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the NDC, Mr. Dickson described the decision as “frivolous and a distraction.”
“It’s a court that ordinarily doesn’t have jurisdiction to sit on appeal over its own earlier judgements. Basically, we disagree as a party about the legal basis and the propriety of the ruling,” he stated.
“Once a high court has given a judgement on a matter, the court shouldn’t have any business with anyone who is complaining.”
The NDC leader insisted that the party has not been deregistered and that its primary elections remain valid.
“The NDC has not been deregistered. The NDC has validly nominated candidates for all elective offices in primaries monitored nationwide by INEC,” he said.
He clarified that the administrative process of submitting candidate names to INEC does not affect the validity of the party’s nominations.
“I myself am also a senatorial candidate of the party. All nominations have been validly carried out, monitored by INEC, in accordance with the time frame given by the commission. The submission to INEC is an administrative procedure. So the NDC is still a party. The court itself did not deregister it, and no step has been taken to that effect.
“I assure all our candidates and members that those nominations remain valid,” Mr. Dickson concluded.
