Political activist and former aspirant for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Senate seat on the platform of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Aisha Yesufu, has alleged that the party’s senatorial primary election in Abuja was a predetermined process, while ruling out any legal challenge against its outcome.
In a statement released on Friday titled “On the Record: NDC Primaries… A Better Abuja Is Inevitable,” Yesufu rejected reports that she withdrew from the race, insisting that she remained in the contest until its conclusion.
As the dust settles on the NDC Primaries, I want to set the record straight: I did not quit, I did not drop out of the race. I stayed to the end,” she stated.
The activist explained that she entered the race because she believed meaningful change could only be achieved by participating directly in the political process and seeking positions where decisions are made.
Yesufu affirmed that she was fully aware of the challenges facing Nigerian politics but resolved not to compromise her principles in pursuit of political office.
“I did not leave advocacy to go into politics. I took advocacy into politics,” she said.
Reflecting on her campaign, Yesufu described it as a grassroots-driven effort built on volunteerism and community engagement across the FCT. She praised members of her support network, whom she said worked tirelessly to mobilise support at the ward and community levels.
She, however, alleged that the primary election process was manipulated to produce a predetermined outcome. “What was billed as a primary was, in truth, a predetermined outcome dressed in procedural formalities.”
According to Yesufu, the exercise was marred by repeated postponements, last-minute venue changes and deviations from the party’s established guidelines. She also claimed that a delegate-based process was introduced in place of the direct primaries initially expected and that the eventual affirmation of the candidate took place behind closed doors rather than through an open contest.
She argued that while the party might defend the credibility of the process, the events that transpired did not reflect fairness or justice.
Despite her reservations, Yesufu declared that she would not seek redress through the courts or pursue any formal grievance process.
“I ran to win. But when the process was subverted, I made a choice: I would not exhaust myself in a grievance process designed to wear people down,” she stated.
The activist emphasised that she chose to focus on the lessons gained from participating in the process, noting that the experience had given her a deeper understanding of the realities of political structures and power dynamics.
Yesufu clarified that her account related solely to her experience in the FCT senatorial primary and should not be interpreted as a reflection of what occurred in other states. “It is important to note that this account reflects my experience in the Abuja FCT Senatorial race. It does not speak to what transpired in other states, nor do I claim to understand the specifics of those contests.”
Despite criticising the conduct of the FCT primary, she maintained that the NDC remains an important political platform, particularly because it has provided what she described as the “better presidential candidate” for the 2027 election cycle.
Yesufu expressed appreciation to party members working towards political change within the NDC and reaffirmed her commitment to the ideals she championed during her campaign.
“This is not the end. What we built, the network, the credibility, the grassroots trust, cannot be taken away in a backroom,” she stressed.
Yesufu added that she would continue advocating for a better future for Abuja, insisting that the movement built around her campaign would endure beyond the primary election.
