***Utomi warns against political narcissism as Galadima calls Electoral Act a trigger for crises

***Chairman insists Nigeria needs rescue, says the party’s mission is bigger than individual ambition

 

 

The Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) has launched what could become its biggest internal political rescue mission ahead of the 2027 general election, inaugurating a National Reconciliation Committee with a strong appeal to aggrieved aspirants to bury their grievances and unite behind what party leaders described as the larger objective of rescuing Nigeria.

The inauguration, held in Abuja on Thursday, was marked by fiery interventions from the committee’s Co-Chairman, Prof. Pat Utomi, committee member Buba Galadima, and National Chairman Senator Cleopas Moses, who variously blamed Nigeria’s political decline on selfish leadership, a flawed electoral framework and what they described as the country’s worsening governance crisis.

The leaders maintained that while disagreements arising from the party’s recently concluded congresses and primaries were inevitable, allowing personal ambitions to overshadow the national interest would only strengthen the ruling APC ahead of the 2027 elections.

Prof. Pat Utomi, who will co-chair the reconciliation committee, described the assignment as one that carries enormous national significance, insisting that the future of Nigeria could depend on the party’s ability to heal its internal divisions.

“The future of our country rests on it in very, very many ways, more ways than we immediately imagine,” he said.

Utomi argued that Nigeria’s political class has become trapped in what he called “political narcissism,” saying the obsession with personal ambition has prevented leaders from pursuing the collective good.

Drawing inspiration from the African philosophy of Ubuntu, he said Africa’s greatest strength lies in collective progress rather than individual success.

“We often say, and the South Africans capture it best in the Ubuntu concept, ‘I am because we are.'”

He warned that unless politicians begin to think beyond themselves, Nigeria would continue to miss opportunities capable of transforming not only the country but the African continent.

According to him, the NDC must distinguish itself by building a movement centred on the aspirations of young Nigerians rather than the ambitions of political elites.

“This party is going to be a party of the future focused on the young people of this country.”

He reassured disappointed aspirants that losing party tickets should not be interpreted as political rejection, insisting that everyone who participated in the process would still have an important role in the movement.

“There is nobody who has entered this process that will not have a place in building this great movement.”

Utomi urged members to embrace reconciliation, saying the opportunities before Nigerians were far greater than individual political contests.

“Let us show them that there is a big cake and let our country go forward and thrive.”

Speaking in equally blunt terms, veteran politician Buba Galadima admitted that reconciling aggrieved party members would not be easy but expressed confidence that the committee possessed the experience needed to restore unity.

“It is going to be a very, very hard nut to crack. But we will try to be up to the task of reconciling members of our great party.”

Galadima appealed to aspirants who lost party tickets to recognise that no political contest can produce multiple winners.

“Only one person can occupy or fly the flag of this party at this time.”

He, however, directed much of his criticism at Nigeria’s Electoral Act, arguing that the legal framework governing party primaries has made peaceful candidate selection almost impossible for opposition parties.

“The process of bringing out candidates in the Electoral Act is such that it is impossible for any opposition party, without rancour, to produce candidates.”

To underscore his point, Galadima narrated how disputes arising from the former Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) primaries resulted in years of litigation against him personally, culminating in a ₦150 million court judgment and the seizure of his personal property.

He said his experience demonstrated why political actors should pursue reconciliation instead of prolonged legal battles capable of weakening opposition parties.

Turning to the broader political landscape, Galadima renewed his criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, urging opposition forces to rally around a common purpose.

“We will be resolute, patriotic and make sure that we persuade all those that felt aggrieved to look at the larger picture of Nigeria rather than individual ambition.”

National Chairman of the NDC, Senator Cleopas Moses, acknowledged that the party’s primaries inevitably produced winners and losers but defended the process as one dictated by political reality rather than preference.

“Where 23 qualified aspirants are contesting for one ticket, once you give that ticket to one person, you have automatically made 22 enemies. That is the beauty and the irony of sitting on this side.”

He revealed that despite being only six months old, the NDC had successfully completed nationwide membership registration, congresses, its national convention and party primaries within the timelines prescribed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

According to him, the speed with which the party was built made disagreements unavoidable.

“There is no way you go through this kind of political process without some people becoming dissatisfied.”

While acknowledging that some aggrieved members had sought legal redress, Moses insisted that the party’s responsibility extends beyond conducting primaries to preserving unity.

“The assignment of this committee is not merely to settle disputes; it is to rebuild confidence.”

The NDC chairman delivered perhaps the strongest criticism of the country’s current state, declaring that Nigeria had descended into a condition of national paralysis.

“Nigeria is in a state of comatose. Even the pretenders know that Nigeria is in comatose.”

He blamed worsening insecurity and economic hardship on what he described as a lack of responsible leadership, lamenting that farmers could no longer safely cultivate their lands while children were being abducted from schools.

“Our people cannot go to their farms because of insecurity. Children are kidnapped from their schools and hostels, yet those in authority do not feel the pain because it is not their children.”

Describing the NDC as “Noah’s Ark,” Moses said the party represents a platform for Nigerians determined to rescue the country from its present condition.

He also clarified that the party’s mission transcends individual political figures, including its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and vice-presidential candidate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

“We are not fighting for Peter Obi alone. Peter Obi and Kwankwaso are symbols of hope. What we are truly fighting for is Nigeria.”

Calling for discipline ahead of the 2027 elections, Moses urged members to protect the electoral process through peaceful participation.

“When Nigerians come out in their numbers to vote and protect their votes, nobody can subvert the will of the people.”

The newly inaugurated National Reconciliation Committee has been mandated to engage aggrieved aspirants, mediate disputes arising from the party’s congresses and primaries, recommend measures to rebuild trust within the party and integrate dissatisfied members into the NDC’s campaign structure as it intensifies preparations for the 2027 general election.