Lagos NDC Stakeholders Raise Concerns Over Internal Democracy, Warn Against Concentration of Influence
Concerned stakeholders, party faithful, youth mobilizer, women leaders, and grassroots coordinators of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Lagos State have called on the national leadership of the party to safeguard internal democracy and ensure fairness in the management of its state structure ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The call was made during a consultative stakeholders’ meeting convened to deliberate on the future of the party in Lagos State and review principles expected to guide leadership emergence and candidate selection for elective positions.
At the meeting, participants expressed concerns over what they described as the growing concentration of influence around Dayo Ekong, citing her current position as National Vice Chairman of the party.
According to a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, stakeholders urged the party’s national leadership to carefully consider concerns raised by members regarding leadership approaches and political precedents from previous political engagements in Lagos State.
The communiqué stressed that the NDC must not allow any individual, irrespective of political standing or influence, to unilaterally shape the political direction of the party in Lagos without the collective mandate and consent of members.
Stakeholders insisted that party members in Lagos should be allowed to freely determine who emerges as candidates for all contested offices through transparent, competitive, and member-driven processes.
They further warned that any perceived attempt to centralize decision-making or influence candidate emergence through internal power structures could create dissatisfaction among party members and weaken the party’s electoral chances in the state.
“The future of NDC in Lagos must rest on collective ownership, transparent leadership, and genuine consultation. The party cannot afford arrangements that alienate members or create distrust within its ranks,” the communiqué stated.
The meeting also resolved that leadership positions within the Lagos chapter of the party should be occupied by individuals with proven commitment to transparency, accountability, inclusiveness, and consensus-building.
The stakeholders subsequently appealed to the national leadership of the party to ensure that no single political actor exercises excessive control over the affairs of the party in Lagos State.
They reaffirmed their commitment to building a credible, inclusive, and people-driven political platform while urging the party leadership to protect the democratic aspirations of members by ensuring fairness and due process in all party activities.
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