Ex-Bayelsa governor, Dickson dumps PDP for NDC

Former Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Seriake Dickson, yesterday defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the newly registered political party: Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC). Dickson announced his defection on Thursday at a press conference in Abuja, where the NDC was formally unveiled to the public. The former governor who served as House of […]

Former Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Seriake Dickson, yesterday defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the newly registered political party: Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).

Dickson announced his defection on Thursday at a press conference in Abuja, where the NDC was formally unveiled to the public.

The former governor who served as House of Representative member, governor for eight years and later senator all on the platform of the PDP described his decision as a step towards building a credible opposition ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Dickson said he remains emotionally attached to the PDP because of its historic role in Nigeria’s democratic development lamenting what he described as the party’s steady decline and internal crisis.

He blamed the situation on poor leadership and internal conflicts within the party and warned against the emergence of a one-party system in Nigeria explaining that the country’s diversity makes such a scenario untenable.

He said,“I could have defected to the APC even when I was governor, but I refused because Nigeria must not become a one-party state.”

He added: “The PDP that we kept hoping would provide a credible opposition has kept digging itself deeper into crisis. Unfortunately, it may not be in a position to be competitive in the 2027 general elections.”

During the event, the Protem Chairman of the party, Senator Cleopas Moses Zuwogeh, presented Dickson with the membership card numbered 001 and handed over the party’s flag, symbol and authority to him.

Dickson urged Nigerians who desire a stronger democratic system to align with the NDC, which he said is positioned to provide a credible alternative in the nation’s political landscape.

“I have been a faithful and committed member of the Peoples Democratic Party since 2005. The PDP was particularly appealing to me because it was an umbrella for all Nigerians – an umbrella for the big and the small, the strong and the weak,” he stated.