2027: Dickson urges youths to safeguard votes, mobilise for NDC

2027: Dickson urges youths to safeguard votes, mobilise for NDC

Youths

By Naomi Sharang

The National Leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Sen. Seriake Dickson, has urged Nigerian youths to strengthen grassroots mobilisation and protect electoral integrity ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Dickson made the call on Wednesday in Abuja while receiving the leadership of “The Dickson Movement for Democracy (TDM)” led by its National Coordinator, Mr Obidi Emmanuel.

He urged the movement to mobilise support for all NDC candidates, stressing that the party’s electoral ambition extended beyond the presidency to the National Assembly and other elective positions.

The former Bayelsa governor said that electoral victory across levels of government was important to implementing the party’s proposed reforms and addressing the country’s developmental challenges.

He called on support groups to collaborate with the party’s structure at the state and local government levels to improve coordination, strengthen grassroots engagement and expand participation in the political process.

Dickson emphasised the need to protect votes, insisting that every eligible citizen must have the opportunity to vote freely and have their choice reflected in the final results.

“Our message must be clear: one person, one vote; one youth, one vote; and every Nigerian’s vote must count,” he said.

He also urged the movement to promote issue-based campaigns, warning against insults, political violence and personal attacks in the contest for public office.

He said that the 2027 elections should provide Nigerians with an opportunity to assess the performance of the incumbent administration and make informed decisions about the country’s future.

Dickson appealed to young Nigerians to take greater interest in governance, describing their participation as essential to sustaining multi-party democracy and building accountable political institutions.

On the integrity of the voters’ register, he called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to investigate allegations of artificial intelligence-generated names and photographs and address the concerns transparently.

“The commission must ensure that the registered voters’ information is genuine and verifiable.

“Confidence in the register is fundamental to credible elections,” he said.

Earlier, Emmanuel said that the movement was established to promote accountability, transparency, responsible leadership and multi-party democracy while grooming a new generation of political leaders.

He noted that the movement had attracted nearly 10,000 registered members within weeks of its establishment and planned to mobilise support for NDC candidates nationwide.

He said that the group would also engage communities to encourage participation in the electoral process.

The TDM national coordinator said they would equally ensure that votes cast for its candidates were protected and properly accounted for.

He appealed to Dickson to provide mentorship and guidance as the movement pursued its broader objective of developing young Nigerians committed to democratic governance and national development.(NAN)

NNL/CEO

Edited by Chidi Opara

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