Dickson Accuses Diri of Handing Bayelsa to APC, Says Party Never Won State at the Polls

Former Bayelsa State Governor and Senator, Seriake Dickson, has accused his successor, Governor Douye Diri, of handing over the state’s political structure to the All Progressives Congress (APC), a party he claims has never won Bayelsa through the ballot.

Dickson made the allegation in a statement following his homecoming to Bayelsa over the weekend, which featured the commissioning of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) state secretariat.

The NDC National Leader said he had deliberately avoided commenting extensively on political developments in the state to prevent tension and preserve peace. However, he said the time had come to make his position clear, accusing Diri of abandoning the political structure that supported his emergence as governor.

“Every single one of the people in the current government was nurtured and supported for years by me,” Dickson said.

He recalled that Diri served as his Executive Secretary and Deputy Chief of Staff before representing a constituency in the House of Representatives and later becoming a senator. Diri eventually succeeded him as governor.

Dickson said his decision to support Diri’s emergence was driven by the need to sustain Ijaw political leadership and promote fairness among Bayelsa’s local government areas.

He, however, accused his successor of turning against those who supported his political journey, alleging that the current administration had resorted to pettiness, propaganda, blackmail and victimisation.

“Our victory was donated free of charge to the APC, making all of us overnight opposition members in our own state, in a government we formed, in a governorship I crafted, and an administration we worked hard to put in power,” he said.

The former governor maintained that the APC had never defeated him or won Bayelsa State through an election, claiming that his political influence had prevented the party from taking control of the state since 2015.

He also expressed disappointment that Diri joined the APC without securing what he described as corresponding benefits for Bayelsa from the Federal Government.

Dickson criticised the Federal Government over what he considered inadequate infrastructure development and insufficient representation of Bayelsa and the wider Niger Delta in federal appointments.

Despite his criticism, he urged his supporters to remain peaceful and avoid personal attacks against the governor.

“As I said, children may deny their father, but fathers do not deny children. The governor is still my person, my brother, my compatriot and our governor. But he is now someone I disagree with, as he and the people in his government are wrong with the direction they are taking our state to,” he said.

Diri will not respond, aide says

An aide to Governor Diri, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the governor would not respond to Dickson’s allegations.

“The governor doesn’t want to respond to him. That’s just the truth. Everybody is free to say whatever they want to say. We decided we don’t want to make any issue out of it. We are focused on what we want to do for Bayelsans. Let Bayelsans be the judge. That’s all we care about,” the aide said.

Governor’s aide faults Dickson’s remarks

Meanwhile, the Governor’s Technical Adviser on General Duties, Miriki Ebikibina, described Dickson’s comments as unfortunate and urged him to exercise restraint, saying he should uphold the dignity expected of a former governor and serving senator.

Ebikibina questioned Dickson’s criticism in view of the political support and opportunities he received from former President Goodluck Jonathan, including appointments as commissioner and Attorney-General, as well as his emergence as a member of the House of Representatives and later governor of Bayelsa State.

He also recalled the circumstances surrounding Dickson’s emergence as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, claiming that party stakeholders, including Jonathan and King A.J. Turner, played significant roles in securing his candidacy and electoral victory.

The governor’s aide urged Dickson and the NDC to emulate the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, whom he described as focusing his campaign on policy issues rather than personal attacks.

According to Ebikibina, the Diri administration’s achievements reflected purposeful leadership and effective governance, adding that political disagreements should not overshadow constructive engagement on issues affecting the state.

Obi asks Tinubu to quit 2027 presidential race

Separately, the NDC presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has urged President Bola Tinubu to abandon his 2027 re-election bid, arguing that Nigeria needs leadership with the energy to address the country’s economic and security challenges.

Obi made the remarks on Friday in Yenagoa during the commissioning of the NDC campaign office and state secretariat.

He accused the APC-led Federal Government of failing to address widespread poverty, hunger, unemployment, insecurity, poor healthcare and inadequate electricity supply.

The former Anambra State governor said millions of Nigerians were struggling to afford basic necessities, while access to quality healthcare, education and employment remained a major challenge.

Taking aim at Tinubu’s second-term ambition, Obi said: “The man is tired. He needs to go home. Tinubu must go and rest. We want him to go and rest.

“Today, we have a country that produces the highest number of poor people in the world. Today, we have a country where our people are hungry. Nigerians don’t know where the next meal will come from.”

Obi also lamented the state of public healthcare, saying some Nigerians had resorted to spiritual interventions instead of seeking medical attention. He further identified poor educational infrastructure and unemployment as challenges undermining the country’s development.

Outlining the NDC’s agenda, he said the party would prioritise national unity, security, domestic production, accountability and job creation.

“We are telling you that NDC is coming to build a new Nigeria that is possible. We want to move Nigeria from consumption to production. We will start by uniting the country,” he said.

He pledged that an NDC government would strengthen public institutions, tackle insecurity and guarantee equal opportunities for Nigerians regardless of their ethnic or geographical backgrounds.