A heated exchange unfolded at the national headquarters of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Abuja on Wednesday as activist and politician Aisha Yesufu challenged party officials over the handling of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) senatorial ticket process.
Clearly frustrated by what she described as a lack of transparency and accountability, Yesufu questioned the party’s leadership and urged them to uphold the promises made to members and the public.
Speaking during the confrontation, Yesufu specifically criticized the NDC’s National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, for making commitments that were not followed through.
“If the national secretary did not have what it took to go to every local government, then he shouldn’t have put out a statement to the world that he was going to do that,” she said.
A video of the exchange has since circulated widely on social media, drawing attention to the growing tensions within the party over the selection of its FCT senatorial candidate.
Yesufu stressed that her concerns were not about gaining personal advantage but about ensuring fairness and credibility in the party’s internal processes.
“If you do something, we must stand by our word. I’m not even asking for a level playing ground; I’m asking for a ground,” she stated.
According to her, the controversy surrounding the FCT Senate ticket has exposed her to criticism in recent days. However, she insisted that the integrity of the party should be placed above individual ambitions.
“This party is more than who wins. We need to follow a process that is transparent,” she said.
The activist also reaffirmed her support for the party’s presidential candidate, noting that she would have accepted the outcome if the process had been conducted fairly.
“If I lost honourably and fairly, I’m ready to concede that I lost. I have a presidential candidate that I am here for,” she added.
Yesufu recently defected to the NDC from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and had announced plans to contest the FCT Senate seat in the 2027 general election. She later withdrew from the race after the party reportedly decided not to conduct primaries for the position.
Her comments come amid speculation that the senatorial ticket may have been effectively reserved for another aspirant, Amanda Pam, a long-standing member of the party.
The dispute is the latest development in a controversy that began on May 30, when Yesufu publicly alleged that the FCT senate primary process was riddled with irregularities and lacked transparency. She argued that the process fell short of acceptable democratic standards and raised concerns about the credibility of the exercise.
As of the time of filing this report, the NDC leadership had not issued an official response to the allegations and concerns raised by the activist.
