By KosofePost Reporter
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate for Delta South, Dr. Austin Orette, has strongly criticised the party’s national leadership over its handling of the recently concluded primary elections, describing the process as secretive and inconsistent with democratic principles.
Speaking on Saturday in Owhelogbo, the headquarters of Isoko North Local Government Area of Delta State, Orette said the conduct of the party’s primaries and the refusal to release the results had raised serious concerns about transparency and accountability within the party.
“In every functioning democracy, political parties exist to serve the people. In Nigeria, some party leaders have unfortunately come to believe that party members exist to serve them,” he said.
According to Orette, the secrecy surrounding the primary election process increasingly resembles the operations of a cult rather than those of a democratic institution.
“Democracy thrives on openness. Democracy thrives on accountability. Democracy thrives on trust. Secrecy destroys all three,” he stated.
The Texas-based family medicine physician also expressed disappointment with the recent press conference by the party’s national leadership, saying it failed to address the concerns of aspirants and party members.
“I watched the recent NDC press conference with disbelief and profound disappointment. What I witnessed was not leadership. It was not transparency. It was not democracy. It was a show of arrogance, confusion, and contempt for the Nigerian people,” Orette said.
He questioned why the party had yet to release the results of the primaries despite claiming that the process had been concluded. He also criticised the requirement that candidates sign affidavits pledging not to defect from the party before the results are announced.
“If the primary elections have truly been concluded, why have the results not been released? Why should candidates who do not even know whether they have won elections be required to sign affidavits before results are announced?” he asked.
Orette described the explanation offered by the party leadership as an unconvincing excuse aimed at justifying secrecy, manipulation, and control.
“The explanation offered by the party leadership is that they fear candidates may defect after securing nominations. This excuse is neither convincing nor constitutional. It is merely a convenient justification for secrecy, manipulation, and control,” he argued.
He maintained that loyalty cannot be manufactured through legal undertakings.
“An affidavit cannot inspire commitment. An affidavit cannot replace trust. Most importantly, an affidavit cannot override the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.
Citing Section 40 of the Constitution, Orette argued that every Nigerian citizen has the right to freely associate, including joining or leaving a political party of their choice. He maintained that no political party has the authority to restrict those constitutional rights through affidavits, agreements, or coercive arrangements.
“The Constitution is the supreme law of Nigeria. Any law, contract, agreement, affidavit, party constitution, undertaking, or political arrangement that is inconsistent with the Constitution is null and void to the extent of its inconsistency,” he stated.
According to him, the party’s press conference should have focused on releasing the primary election results rather than introducing additional requirements.
“What should have been a press conference dedicated to announcing primary election results became an embarrassing exercise in political paternalism. Instead of transparency, Nigerians were treated to lectures. Instead of accountability, we were given excuses. Instead of results, we were given affidavits,” he said.
Orette further accused the party’s leadership of attempting to impose control on candidates instead of earning their loyalty through ideas, vision, and competence.
“Unable to inspire loyalty, they seek to impose it. Unable to earn trust, they attempt to enforce it. Unable to convince, they resort to coercion. This is political paternalism at its worst,” he added.
He warned that such an approach has no place in a modern democracy and urged the party leadership to immediately release the primary election results and respect the constitutional rights of party members.
“The right thing is simple: Release the primary election results. Respect the Constitution. Respect party members. Respect democratic principles. Respect the Nigerian people. Political parties are not supreme. Party leaders are not supreme. Godfathers are not supreme. The Constitution is supreme,” Orette declared.
He concluded by insisting that the era of secrecy, impunity, and political paternalism within the party must come to an end, stressing that Nigerians deserve a more transparent and democratic political process.