Human rights activist and former senatorial aspirant Aisha Yesufu has accused the National Democratic Coalition (NDC) of manipulating its Federal Capital Territory primary election, alleging that the outcome was decided behind closed doors rather than through a transparent vote by delegates.
In a statement released on Thursday, Yesufu denied rumours that she withdrew from the race, insisting that she remained a candidate until the very end.
She described the exercise as a “predetermined outcome dressed in procedural formalities,” pointing to repeated postponements, last-minute venue changes, and unexplained alterations to the primary guidelines.
According to her, the process eventually adopted a delegate-based system held at a central location, contrary to earlier plans for direct primaries at local government headquarters.
“When the moment came, the contest was not decided by delegates in the open; it was affirmed in a closed room,” she said.
Despite her strong criticism, Yesufu said she would not challenge the result in court, noting that she had gained valuable insight into Nigeria’s political realities and would not waste energy on a grievance process designed to wear down opponents.
She stressed that her entry into politics was driven by a belief that transformation requires active participation in governance, adding, “I did not leave advocacy to go into politics. I took advocacy into politics.”
Yesufu praised her campaign’s grassroots network, which she called “SAY-Nation,” and claimed that the strength of her movement may have forced party officials to move the process away from open competition.
While acknowledging that the NDC remains a viable platform with what she called the “better presidential candidate” for 2027, she called for internal reforms. She also announced a long-term political project, declaring “#ABetterAbuja2031,” and vowed to remain active in politics.
“This is not the end,” she said. “What we built the network, the credibility, the grassroots trust cannot be taken away in a backroom.”
