From Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja
The national leader of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Seriake Dickson, has warned politicians against “transactional politics” as serving lawmakers from Edo State formally joined the party in Abuja.
Dr John Lazarus Yoriyo, a former deputy governor of Gombe State under Danjuma Goje, also joined the NDC fold.
The event, attended by lawmakers, political actors and delegates from several states, featured the formal reception of Hon. Natasha Osawaru Idibia and other lawmakers into the movement.
Speaking at the gathering on Thursday, Dickson said the NDC was not established as a platform for politicians seeking short-term political gains, but as a movement built on ideology, discipline and long-term nation-building.
“You are not joiners of this party. You are co-founders and co-builders,” he said. “This is not a platform for transactional politics. It is a platform for ideological commitment and nation-building.”
He urged new members to see themselves as part of a long-term political project, stressing that strong grassroots organisation remains critical to the survival of any political movement.
According to him, political popularity without structure cannot sustain electoral success.
“A political party is like a horse,” Dickson said. “No matter how skilled the rider is, if the horse is weak or untrained, it cannot win a race.”
He added that political parties are “living institutions” that must be constantly nurtured to remain viable.
A major highlight of the event was the symbolic presentation of party membership cards to the new entrants.
Addressing the gathering, Charity described his decision to join the NDC as a product of ideological conviction after a prolonged period of uncertainty within his former political platform.
“At some point, I began to ask myself whether what we believed in was still possible,” he said. “I was mocked, and it almost felt like there was no clear direction.”
He said discussions within his political circle had centred on whether to remain in what he described as an unstable structure or align with a movement offering clearer purpose and direction.
According to him, his decision was not driven by personal ambition.
“I am happy to be received in a house where my values do not have to be diluted… where I can serve without suppressing my intellectual capacity,” he added.
Osawaru Idibia, who also addressed the gathering, described the NDC as a movement capable of repositioning the country politically.
“Politics has not been easy, but we thank God for standing steadfast. I have a leader whose values are his compass. He keeps reminding me of the youth and where this country is supposed to go,” she said.
She maintained that despite political challenges, she remained committed to the party’s direction.
“We may fall, we will stand. As God is with us, so it will be. The NDC will take over to lead Nigeria to greener pastures,” she added.
In his remarks, the former deputy governor of Gombe State described the development as part of a broader political transformation within Nigeria’s opposition space.
“This is a turning point for Nigeria,” he said. “We are witnessing the beginning of a political movement that seeks to redefine how leadership is built and sustained.”
Yoriyo said the movement aims to create opportunities for citizens irrespective of background and promote generational renewal in leadership.
