Hours after Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), former governor and senator representing Bayelsa West, Senator Seriake Dickson, has condemned the move, describing it as a betrayal of Nigeria’s democratic ideals and an embarrassment to the nation’s multiparty system.
Speaking with journalists after Wednesday’s Senate plenary, Senator Dickson accused Governor Diri and other defectors of “running away from the mess they created,” instead of showing leadership and fixing the internal challenges within the PDP.
“I am where I have been. I am where I am. I don’t believe Nigeria should be a one-party state,” Dickson said. “Those who created this mess in our party are now the ones bailing out. It’s very sad — it makes our democracy look ridiculous.”
He revealed that Governor Diri had consulted him several times before leaving the PDP but said he was not convinced there was any compelling reason for a second-term governor to defect.
According to Dickson, Nigeria’s plural and diverse society can only thrive through a functional multiparty democracy, not a one-party system that encourages dictatorship and authoritarianism.
“A plural Nigeria can only thrive on a plural democratic environment,” he said. “I remain steadfast in the PDP, the party that gave the Ijaw Nation and the Niger Delta a chance to produce a Vice President, Acting President, and President of Nigeria.”
The former governor also clarified that he has never acted as a “godfather” in Bayelsa politics, noting that he left governance without placing demands or exerting pressure on his successor.
On a separate note, Senator Dickson commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the nomination of Professor Joash Amupitan (SAN) as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), describing it as “a very good choice.”
“I will be supporting his confirmation,” Dickson said. “As a professor of law and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria — the first to be nominated as INEC Chairman — he understands the weight of history on his shoulders.”
Dickson, who is also a member of the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters, pledged to work with his colleagues to advance ongoing electoral reforms and ensure Amupitan’s successful
