The Nigeria Democratic Congress has inaugurated a seven-member national reconciliation committee chaired by renowned political economist, Prof Pat Utomi, with veteran politician Buba Galadima as co-chairman, as the opposition party moves to resolve disputes arising from its primary elections ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The move followed concerns over a growing number of court cases filed by aggrieved aspirants challenging the outcome of the party’s primaries and raising questions over the party’s preparedness for the elections.

In a joint statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday by the NDC National Chairman, Senator Moses Cleopas, and National Secretary, Ikenna Enekweizu, the party said the committee would engage aspirants across the country and resolve outstanding grievances from the primaries.

The committee was inaugurated at the party’s national secretariat on Thursday and comprises Utomi as chairman, Galadima as co-chairman, Mohammed Takori as vice chairman, Babatunde Alli as secretary, while Mrs Dudu Mamman Manuga, Salvador Moshood and Haruna Pai serve as members.

The party said, “The Nigeria Democratic Congress has set up a national reconciliation committee to meet with all the aspirants across the nation and resolve all the outstanding challenges arising from the party primaries.”

It added that the reconciliation process would also involve three zonal sub-committees covering the North, South-East and South-South geopolitical zones.

The northern sub-committee is chaired by Mainasara Abubakar, with Fatima Abba as secretary, while Solomon Ndah, Dr Tanko Yusufu and Dr Toma Gana are members.

In the South-East, Victor Umeh chairs the committee, with Sir Patrick Akwara as secretary. Other members are Eze Chikamnayo, Dr Patrick Ezie Chukwudi, Isaac Chinaka Anumudu and Stefiny Eugene.

The South-South committee is headed by Ben Birabi, while Clever M. Ikisikpo serves as secretary. Members include Isaac Idahosa, Esther Archibong and Apostle David Stephen Okpon.

The development came as candidates of the party whose names were recently published by the Independent National Electoral Commission praised the party’s National Leader, Seriake Dickson, for his role in resolving disputes that followed the primaries.

Speaking on the sidelines of the party’s meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, the candidates said the release of the INEC list had eased anxiety among aspirants, particularly those contesting National Assembly seats, after weeks of uncertainty over the nomination process.

They also dismissed allegations that party tickets were sold to the highest bidders, insisting that the primaries were transparent despite the disagreements that followed.

The NDC candidate for Abia Central Senatorial District, Nkechi Nwaogu, commended Dickson for helping the party navigate the challenges.

“The National Leader, Seriake Dickson, deserves accolades for the way he navigated the trying times that the primaries, reconciliations and the nomination of candidates were finally concluded.

“Nobody is perfect, but he acted in the interest of our party, NDC.

“I appeal to aspirants who did not get tickets to see this as a contest in which those who lost today can win tomorrow. They should work with our party to ensure its victory in the 2027 elections,” she said.

A Canada-based aspirant who lost his bid for a House of Representatives ticket also praised the party leadership for managing the disagreements that followed the primaries.

The businessman-turned-politician, who declined to be named, said members of the reconciliation committee had contacted him and other aggrieved aspirants to resolve their concerns.

He said, “I’m a front-row witness to most of what transpired, and I can tell you that all that the party’s national leader has been doing after the primaries has settled the misunderstandings that arose either directly from the venues of the primaries or from the handling of the disputes by respective state leaders.

“I understand that none of these issues was created by Dickson, who, by the way, did not interfere with the work of either the respective state stakeholders or the various committees sent by the party to conduct the primaries.

“Instead, he has spent the last two or three months settling and reconciling all of us aspirants and stakeholders.”

Also reacting, Nnamdi Iroegbu, who lost the NDC House of Representatives ticket for Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala Federal Constituency in Imo State, urged party members to remain united.

In a Facebook post following the release of the INEC candidates’ list, Iroegbu said he had accepted the outcome of the primaries and urged supporters to continue backing the party.

Meanwhile, the NDC has clarified that Epelle-Asemota Osayuki remains its duly sponsored candidate for the Edo South Senatorial District, following what it described as an error in INEC’s publication of candidates’ particulars.

In a statement issued by the party’s Director of New Media and Strategic Communication, Theophilus Agada, the NDC said the electoral umpire correctly published Epelle-Asemota’s name and personal details but displayed a different photograph and credentials.

The party said it had submitted her name, passport photograph and credentials to INEC in line with constitutional and Electoral Act requirements.

The statement read, “By the Constitution and the Electoral Act, no one can be a candidate of a political party unless sponsored by that party.

“Sponsorship is effected through the formal submission of the candidate’s name to INEC. In this case, that process was duly followed.

“We therefore wish to clarify that, in the eyes of the law, Mrs Epelle-Asemota Bridgitte Osayuki remains our candidate for Edo South Senatorial District.”

The party said it had provided evidence of the successful upload of her particulars and urged INEC to correct the error.

It described Epelle-Asemota as a Nigerian of Benin ancestry with longstanding ties to Edo State, highlighting her 35-year career in the Edo State civil service and previous leadership roles in professional and labour organisations.

The NDC added that she emerged as its candidate after winning the party’s primary election, describing her nomination as part of its commitment to promoting women, youths and persons with special needs in elective positions.

The party urged members and aspirants to remain united and support its candidates ahead of the 2027 elections, adding that the reconciliation committee would continue engagements to resolve outstanding issues.