…says he remains in PDP to defend democracy
Former Governor of Bayelsa State and Senator representing Bayelsa West Seriake Dickson has distanced himself from Governor Douye Diri’s defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), declaring that he remains firmly in the PDP and committed to defending Nigeria’s multiparty democracy.
Speaking at a press briefing with reporters in Abuja on Tuesday, Dickson described the defection as “sad” and “ridiculous,” warning that the growing trend of politicians abandoning opposition parties for the ruling APC was undermining Nigeria’s democratic pluralism.
“I remain where I have always been — in the PDP,” he said firmly. “I do not believe Nigeria should be a one-party state. As a soldier of democracy, I am used to the ups and downs of political life. I remain steadfast in the Peoples Democratic Party, working with colleagues to ensure that the problems in the party are solved.”
The former governor, who led Bayelsa between 2012 and 2020, criticised PDP leaders who “created the mess in the party” and are running to the ruling party instead of showing leadership and taking responsibility.
“I hope the governors and the leadership who created the mess in our party, instead of showing leadership, will now take responsibility. It is very sad. It makes Nigeria look small and makes our democracy look ridiculous,” he said.
Dickson lamented what he called a culture of political opportunism among Nigerian politicians, contrasting it with Ghana’s more stable democratic experience.
“In Ghana, when President Mahama lost elections, he stayed in his party. When Akufo-Addo’s party later lost, they stayed. President Mahama contested again, won, and was congratulated by his opponent even before the final tally. That’s democracy,” Dickson said.
“In Nigeria, politicians decamp at the slightest opportunity. Whatever they are pursuing or whatever is pursuing them. It belittles our democracy and endangers our multiparty system.”
He insisted that the PDP remained the only party that had provided the Niger Delta region with genuine political inclusion at the national level.
“I remain standing in the PDP; the party that gave my people and the Niger Delta the opportunity to produce a Vice President, an Acting President, and a President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This other party cannot do that,” he declared.
According to him, while the PDP had internal issues, the solution lay in reforming the party rather than abandoning it.
“If, however, we do not succeed in saving the PDP, then we will be part of a collective decision but that should not be to join the ruling party,” Dickson stated. “There must always be opposition. A democracy without opposition ceases to be democracy; it becomes dictatorship and totalitarianism.”
However, the former governor disclosed that Governor Diri had consulted him several times before the defection but said he saw “no compelling reason” for a second-term governor to leave the party that brought him to power.
READ ALSO:
“Since I left office, unlike others, I have not played godfather. I made no requests, no demands, no pressure. I have only been available for consultation and advice. In this case, the governor consulted me several times, to his credit. I was not convinced because I saw no compelling reason for a second-term governor to defect,” he said.
On national issues, Dickson also weighed in on President Bola Tinubu’s nomination of Professor Joash Amupitan (SAN) as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), pledging his support for the appointment.
He said his decision to back the nominee was based on professional merit and not partisanship, describing Amupitan as “a Professor of Law and Senior Advocate of Nigeria whose credentials inspire confidence.”
“Being in opposition does not mean that we must disagree with, condemn, or fight every matter emanating from the government in power,” Dickson said. “Where they are wrong, I have spoken strongly. But in this instance, I will be voting to support the nomination of Professor Amupitan as Chairman of INEC.”
He dismissed rumours linking Amupitan to partisan political activities, noting that there had been confusion between two similarly named professors.
“There is some confusion between Professor Amupitan, a Professor of Law at the University of Jos, and another, Professor Osipitan, of the University of Lagos or Lagos State University,” he clarified. “After speaking with a number of people, there is no compelling evidence showing that Professor Amupitan was indeed part of the legal team of the President, as speculated.”
The senator, who is a member of the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters, added that the nomination provided an opportunity for INEC to restore public confidence in the electoral process.
“I find this nomination exciting because it gives the institution an opportunity to renew itself,” he said. “A Professor of Law and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, conscious of his standing in the academic and legal community, should be able to introduce the reforms we need in our electoral system and within INEC itself.”
Dickson urged Nigerians to support the new INEC leadership once confirmed, saying, “Beyond the judgment of men and of the courts, there is also the judgment of God and of posterity. I believe he will do things differently.”
The Bayelsa senator reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening democracy both within his party and the larger political space, saying his political choices were guided by principles, not expediency.
“I am not in this service for other considerations. I am in it to advance ideals and values that are bigger than me and bigger than all of us,” Dickson said. “Those are the things that move me and brought me into politics.”
