NDC sets up reconciliation committee as Utomi and Galadima push for party harmony

Prof Pat Utomi, a former presidential candidate, expressed confidence on Thursday that the Nigeria Democratic Congress could reunite its aggrieved members ahead of the 2027 general elections, as he spoke in Abuja shortly after the inauguration of the NDC National Reconciliation Committee.

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The committee was set up by the party to reconcile aggrieved aspirants and stakeholders following its nationwide congresses, convention and primaries, and was inaugurated barely 48 hours after the party announced its constitution as part of efforts to address grievances and litigation arising from the recently concluded primaries ahead of the 2027 polls.

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Utomi, who is the committee chairman, described the assignment as both a privilege and a major responsibility, saying the panel would work towards restoring unity within the party while keeping its focus on Nigeria’s future, and he feels humble and challenged by this assignment.

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Utomi also mentioned that he is extremely privileged by the company that he has been put, citing his long-standing friendship with Buba Galadima, and he believes that this shows that it is possible for others to become friends as well, which is essential for the party's future.

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Utomi emphasized that the NDC is a party of the future focused on the young people of the country, with the median age of the country being 19.5 years, and he envisions a future where these young people can become global champions.

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According to Utomi, to achieve this, the party must put aside petty issues and focus on the bigger picture, which is to create a better future for the younger generation, and this is one of the key agreements that the party has come to.

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Buba Galadima, the committee’s co-chairman, acknowledged that reconciling aggrieved party members would be challenging but expressed optimism that the committee would succeed, saying that he has no doubt that this is going to be a straightforward assignment, despite being a hard nut to crack.

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Galadima also stated that the process of bringing out candidates in the Electoral Act is such that it is impossible for any opposition party to, without rancour, bring out candidates, and he believes that the Electoral Act has long been perfected and skewed against the opposition before it was sent to the National Assembly.

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Galadima urged all Nigerians to come together and throw out President Tinubu in 2027, as he believes that the President is protecting his party and making it difficult for other parties to produce strong candidates.

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NDC National Chairman, Senator Moses Cleopas, said that the committee's task extended beyond resolving disputes to rebuilding confidence among members after the primaries, and that the committee's assignment is not merely to settle disputes, but to rebuild confidence.

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Cleopas emphasized that there is no way the party can pass through the political season of selecting candidates without the image of the party being slightly tarnished, as everybody who expected a ticket but didn’t have one will always come up with one story or the other.

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Cleopas urged the committee to rejig things so that everybody comes back to the status quo, where justice, fairness, equity, and inclusion shall continue to prevail, and he also assured unsuccessful aspirants that the party still valued their contributions and urged them to remain committed to its campaign.

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Cleopas declared that the party’s campaign is driven by a broader national interest rather than the ambitions of any individual, saying that they are not fighting for Peter Obi’s situation, but for Nigeria, and that integrity is what you do when nobody is watching you.

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Cleopas stated that government house money is meant to develop the country and the citizenry, and not meant to be expended on individual elections, and he questioned the use of the country's treasury to finance or sponsor elections, saying that the party does not have that practice.

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Cleopas urged party leaders, aspirants, and supporters across the country to cooperate with the committee, particularly state chairmen, to ensure a successful reconciliation process, and he also urged the committee to submit a comprehensive report to the National Working Committee not later than August 22.

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Cleopas gave the committee an extension until the end of the month to submit the report, but reminded them that the official campaign timetable is slated for August 19, and he emphasized the importance of meeting this deadline to ensure the party's success in the upcoming elections.