NDC strengthens Bayelsa structures ahead of 2027 polls

• Dickson honoured by university alumni

• Obi Media Office condemns attack on campaign convoy in Calabar

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From Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has intensified efforts to strengthen its grassroots structures in Bayelsa State ahead of the 2027 general elections, with its National Chairman, Moses Zuwoghe, urging party leaders to embrace unity, discipline and effective mobilisation.

Zuwoghe made the call on Wednesday during a strategic meeting with the party’s leadership in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, which brought together members of the LGA Executive Committee and Ward Executive Committees across the 17 wards.

The meeting, held at the Headquarters Secretariat Complex of His Will Political Family Worldwide in Yenagoa, focused on strengthening the party’s internal structures, deepening grassroots mobilisation and developing strategies for building a united political platform ahead of the elections.

It was also attended by the party’s four House of Assembly candidates in Southern Ijaw, Ogede Embeleakpo, Ifiemi Embiowei, Ziriki Godwill and Alfred Salvation, as well as its House of Representatives candidate for Southern Ijaw Federal Constituency, Leghemo Diepreye.

Zuwoghe emphasised the importance of unity, discipline, effective coordination and collective responsibility, stressing that the party’s strength depended on the effectiveness of its grassroots structures.

He urged party leaders and stakeholders to ensure that every ward remained active, organised and committed to the task of mobilising support for the party.

The NDC chairman also charged party leaders to take the party’s message of good governance, justice and people-centred leadership to communities across the local government area.

He said the journey to the 2027 elections required commitment, sacrifice and teamwork, adding that the party was determined to build a formidable political structure in Southern Ijaw and across Bayelsa State.

Meanwhile, the party’s National Leader, Senator Henry Dickson, has received recognition from the Student Union Government (SUG) and Alumni Association of the University of Africa, Toru-Orua, for his contributions to educational development in Bayelsa State.

The student and alumni bodies paid a courtesy visit to the former governor, during which the alumni association decorated him as its grand patron, while the SUG presented him with an award of recognition.

Speaking during the visit, the president of the association, Comrade Kofa Samuel, commended Dickson for his vision and commitment to education, particularly the establishment of the university during his administration as governor.

He said the investment had continued to create opportunities for young people, noting that the institution had produced 13 first-class graduates from Bayelsa West Senatorial District alone, at the last count.

In his response, Dickson expressed satisfaction with the impact of his administration’s investment in education, describing it as an instrument for human capital development and societal transformation.

He said education went beyond being a meal ticket, stressing that it equipped individuals with the knowledge and capacity to contribute meaningfully to society.

The senator also urged the students and alumni to embrace leadership, responsibility and service to humanity, while calling on them to join and support the NDC, which he described as a political platform for young people and the future of the country.

In a related development, the Obi Media Office has condemned the attack on the campaign convoy of the NDC presidential candidate, Peter Obi, in Calabar on Wednesday, describing the incident as an act of political violence capable of undermining democratic participation.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the media office expressed concern over the alleged exploitation of youths by politicians who, it said, take advantage of economic hardship to recruit vulnerable young people for violent activities.

The statement, signed by Idris Zekeri Jnr, urged security agencies to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the incident and identify both the perpetrators and their alleged sponsors.

It said those responsible for political violence must be held accountable, warning that Nigerian youths should not be used as instruments of destruction by politicians pursuing personal ambitions.

The media office reaffirmed Obi’s commitment to peaceful and issue-based campaigning, urging political stakeholders to uphold civility, tolerance and democratic principles.

It added that no political ambition justified the loss of a Nigerian life.