Nigeria Democratic Congress house of representives aspirant, Dr Constance Ikokwu, has urged political parties to reconsider the blanket adoption of consensus arrangements in selecting candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Ikokwu said while consensus remains a legitimate democratic tool, it should not be treated as an automatic entitlement or used to impose candidates on party members.
According to her, any consensus arrangement—particularly within the NDC—should be guided by performance, credibility and the wishes of party members at the grassroots.
Ikokwu, a House of Representatives aspirant for Idemili North and South Federal Constituency in Anambra State on the platform of the NDC, made the call in a statement issued on Monday.
“No elected office should become a personal inheritance,” she said.
“Where representatives have performed excellently and enjoy genuine support from the people, consensus may naturally emerge.”
“But imposing it across board without evaluating performance and grassroots acceptance sends the wrong message, and discourages participation, and healthy competition within the party,” Ikokwu added.
She warned that the adoption of automatic tickets and indiscriminate consensus arrangements could breed resentment among party members and weaken internal democracy.
According to her, political parties must ensure that merit, accountability and popular support—not incumbency—remain the key determinants in candidate selection as preparations begin for the 2027 elections.
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