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Former governor of Bayelsa State, Seriake Dickson, has dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and moved to a new political platform, the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC).
Dickson, the Senator representing Bayelsa West in the National Assembly, announced his defection at a press conference held on Thursday in Abuja.
The NDC, one of the two new political parties recently registered by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), was officially introduced to the public at the event.
The former governor also said that Nigeria risks becoming a one-party state if urgent steps are not taken to strengthen democratic competition.
He said his decision to join the NDC was the result of months of consultations and deep reflection on the state of democracy in the country as well as the internal challenges facing the PDP.
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According to him, the formation of the NDC aims to mobilize Nigerians from various political strata who are concerned about the future of the country’s democratic system.
“The reason for the formation of the NDC is to mobilize Nigerians who care about the future of our democracy.
“We cannot sit idly by and watch this country turn into a one-party state.
“Democracy thrives when there is strong opposition, healthy debate and credible alternatives, and that is what we want to build,” Dickson said.
The senator added that the emergence of this new political platform was not just a reaction to the crisis within the PDP but was part of a broader effort to strengthen democratic institutions and restore confidence in Nigeria’s political process.
He said Nigerian democracy requires dynamic political competition, responsible leadership and active participation of citizens committed to maintaining the principles of accountability, transparency and good governance.
He assured that the NDC will provide a platform for Nigerians who feel politically marginalized or excluded from existing power structures, while offering a new vision for national development.
“We are building a coalition of democrats, that is, people who believe that Nigeria must remain a country where political power is contested fairly and citizens have real choices.
“We invite all Nigerians who share the same vision to unite so that we can strengthen our democracy and ensure that no single party dominates the political space to the detriment of the people,” he concluded.
