Peter Obi Begs Party Aspirants: “Let’s Put Our Egos Aside and Build Something Real”

Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), had a straightforward message for everyone who lost out in the party’s recent primaries: Please, don’t tear the house down.

At the party’s second National Executive Committee meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, Obi looked around the room and acknowledged the obvious tension. People had run, people had lost, and feelings were bruised.

“I want to sincerely appeal to all our aspirants those who participated in our primaries to accept the outcomes in good faith,” he said. “In every democratic process, there will be winners, and there will be others who did not succeed. What matters most is what we do after the process.”

He reminded them that the NDC isn’t some old, established machine. This party went from registration to holding congresses, conventions, and primaries in just about 90 days. That’s almost unheard of.

“Even established parties struggle with this,” Obi added. “We must therefore show understanding, patience, and sacrifice for the greater good of the party.”

He apologized for the meeting starting late because, well, Nigerian time but thanked everyone who traveled from far and wide to be there. “Your commitment is what keeps this project alive,” he said.

Obi made it clear that he doesn’t want party members getting consumed by internal drama. There are bigger fish to fry security, terrible roads, broken schools, and a healthcare system that barely works.

“We know the challenges facing our country,” he said. “But this is not yet campaign time.”

He also announced that the party plans to hit the road soon, visiting states across Nigeria instead of forcing everyone to keep coming to Abuja. “We will go to them,” he promised.

NDC National Chairman Moses Cleopas, sounding almost spiritual, compared the party’s survival to Noah’s Ark. “It has been preserved through turbulent waters, and it will not fail Nigeria,” he said.

Former Bayelsa Governor Seriake Dickson, who serves as the party’s National Leader, also weighed in. “From day one, we were not expected to survive. But we have conducted congresses, primaries, and conventions, and we are still standing strong.”

His advice to aggrieved aspirants? Don’t see this as the end. “Tomorrow still holds opportunities,” he said.

The meeting ended with a pledge to introduce electronic voting in future internal elections a move party leaders say will improve transparency and reduce the kind of disputes that often tear opposition parties apart.

For now, though, Obi’s message was simple: stay united, stay disciplined, and don’t let primary losses become permanent wounds.