Eli Obaje Abuja,
Aisha Yesufu has spoken out after the NDC primaries in the Federal Capital Territory, saying she never quit the contest or dropped her senatorial ambition. The human rights activist and politician said she ran through to the end but decided against a court challenge, because FCT residents deserved her own account of what happened.
She posted the statement on X Friday night, hours after the primaries wrapped up. Yesufu said her move into politics came from a belief that real change requires working inside government, not just speaking from outside. Advocacy, she argued, did not end when she picked up a party form. 
“I did not leave advocacy to go into politics. I took advocacy into politics,” she wrote. She added that she entered the race knowing Nigeria’s system makes it hard for candidates who run on values instead of money and influence.
Her campaign, she said, was built from the ground up. Volunteers across Abuja wards and local communities mobilised voters and pushed her message. Yesufu credited that network for giving the race momentum despite limited resources.
But she faulted how the primary itself was run. Yesufu listed repeated postponements and sudden venue changes as problems that hurt credibility. She also said party guidelines were not followed, which raised questions about fairness for everyone involved.
The process changed from direct primaries to a delegate model, according to her statement. The final result, she claimed, came from a closed-door affirmation rather than an open vote. In her words, the event looked like a primary but delivered a decision made ahead of time.
Even with those concerns, Yesufu said she will not go to court. She prefers to focus on lessons learned over a legal fight. The experience gave her a clearer view of how Nigeria’s political system works, and she called that knowledge more useful than any petition.
She stressed that her comments are about the FCT senatorial primary only. Yesufu said it should not be read as a judgment on NDC primaries in other states. While criticizing parts of the process, she restated support for the NDC as a credible option ahead of 2027.
Yesufu ended by saying the movement behind her campaign is still alive. The grassroots support, volunteer network, and credibility built during the race will continue to shape her work. “This is not the end,” she declared, adding that a better future for Abuja is still possible.
