Activist and ally of Peter Obi, Aisha Yesufu, has alleged that the process leading to the selection of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) senatorial candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) was manipulated and unfair.
Yesufu had declared her intention to contest for the FCT senate seat on May 6 after joining the NDC from the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
She said her decision to seek the position was inspired by the leadership experience she gained while in the ADC.
In recent days, speculation had emerged that the party had already settled for Amanda Pam, another aspirant who joined the race before Yesufu became a member of the party.
In a statement issued on Friday, the activist disclosed that the party would no longer conduct a primary election for the FCT senate seat, effectively ending her bid.
She urged her supporters to remain calm and keep their focus on the broader political goals ahead of the 2027 general election.
“I COULD NOT COMPROMISE”
In a separate statement released later on Friday, Yesufu said she could not abandon her principles in a process she described as riddled with injustice and violations of the Electoral Act.
She explained that she entered politics with a commitment to contribute to the change many Nigerians desire, while remaining true to her values.
“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,” she said.
“But I made a decision going in: I would not compromise my values. I would stand for what is right. I did not leave advocacy to go into politics. I took advocacy into politics.”
According to her, her campaign gained significant grassroots support, which she believes influenced how the party handled the process.
She claimed that what was presented as a primary election had already been decided beforehand.
She alleged that the exercise experienced repeated postponements, sudden venue changes and non-compliance with established party procedures.
“The delegate-based process was introduced to be conducted at a central location instead of direct primaries at Local Government headquarters,” she claimed.
“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 argued that although the party might describe the process as free and fair, the events that unfolded did not reflect justice or transparency.
“I LEAVE WITH SOMETHING MORE VALUABLE”
The activist said she chose not to immediately challenge the outcome because she wanted to fully understand the system and learn from the experience.
“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. I chose instead to extract every lesson this experience had to offer,” she said.
“I now understand the architecture of the system in ways no textbook, no punditry, no amount of outside observation could ever teach.
“That knowledge is worth more than any petition I could have filed. I leave this process with something far more valuable than a ticket; I leave with clarity.”
She clarified that her comments relate only to her experience in the FCT senate race and should not be interpreted as an assessment of primaries conducted elsewhere.
Despite her concerns, Yesufu maintained that the NDC remains the platform that has presented what she considers the strongest presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
The party has not officially responded to her allegations.
However, Seriake Dickson, the party’s national leader, had earlier stated that no aspirant received preferential treatment and that all contenders were guaranteed equal opportunities during the primary process.