Former Bayelsa State Governor and national leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Seriake Dickson, has urged party members to step up their mobilisation efforts following the revision of the electoral timetable ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He delivered the warning on Wednesday during the party’s maiden National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting at the NDC national secretariat in Abuja.
Dickson highlighted the urgency created by the adjusted schedule, stressing that opposition parties must act swiftly to remain competitive.
“Before I request that internal motions be moved, let me remind everyone that because of the adjustment in the electoral timetable based on the new Electoral Act, there has been a lot of pressure on parties. But let me tell you—there is no time to waste.
General elections are always a period of massive growth, and I can say confidently that I believe in this game.
And you know what? It will not take us six months, especially in a country where Nigerians are hungry and angry.
“So for those who think we don’t have enough time—no, that is not true. We are following the processes carefully, like a good postman.
We have the tools. The leadership will monitor and take appropriate actions. But what is urgent and requires your immediate action is the e-registration,” Dickson said.
The senator, representing Bayelsa West, urged NDC members to prioritise grassroots mobilisation, emphasising that winning elections depends more on engaging citizens than on financial resources.
“Every party in Nigeria wants to win elections. So get ready to win your election properly — your decision matters.
And for the umpteenth time, it is your decision to take up the fight that will determine the outcome. This is the truth.
“We will win in major areas—not with money, but with the people. Politics is not about being a money-bag family throwing billions around.
It is about politicians working with the people, not just their bank accounts.
Go to the people in every polling unit, every community, every ward, and ask them: ‘Are your lives better now than before?’ These are the colleagues and citizens you must mobilise to support the various candidates you want to present,” he added.
Dickson also urged members to focus on credible voter registration rather than inflated figures, warning against complacency.
“From the platform, I have seen that many Nigerians are already registering, and a good number of you here have done yours.
I must challenge those who haven’t done it now. Talk to your state chairmen. Challenge them. We want to build the register.
“Most members in the other parties are afraid. We see what they are doing—using state resources, going around collecting people’s voter data, and manipulating figures. We will counter their actions by focusing on real Nigerians.
Don’t wait for anyone. Go for real, registered voters who believe in us. We don’t want to pad numbers.
We don’t want names just to fill a list. As for the next phase—the primaries—the party will let you know when we are going to conduct elections for delegates.
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But after the electronic registration, the process continues until election time,” he said.
Earlier, NDC National Chairman Senator Cleopas Moses pledged loyalty to the party and encouraged unity among NEC members.
“I seize this opportunity to congratulate all of you, as the chairman of the NDC today, as a man more true to himself. The Lord will always use you as a tool to achieve certain things for His purpose.
I want to assure this NEC that I shall be loyal and faithful to the founding principles and ideals of this party.
I want to charge all NEC members, especially those called to be one with the party, to be passionate and combative. Let us be tolerant of the minorities coming to us,” he said.
Dickson’s remarks come about a month after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) revised the timetable for the 2027 general elections.
The changes brought forward the presidential and National Assembly elections to January, while governorship and state assembly polls are now scheduled for February.
In a February 26 statement, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Malam Mohammed Kudu Haruna, explained that the adjustment followed the repeal of the Electoral Act, 2022, and the enactment of the Electoral Act, 2026.
Previously, the 2022 Act had set February 20, 2027, for the presidential and National Assembly elections and March 6, 2027, for the governorship and state assembly contests.
With the new schedule in place, Dickson stressed that parties have limited time to prepare and must intensify grassroots efforts to secure victory in the upcoming polls.