Political thunder struck Abuja on Thursday as Senator Seriake Dickson dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and pitched his tent with the newly registered Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
Addressing a world press conference at his residence, the Bayelsa West senator painted a grim picture of the opposition party he once proudly flew.
“The PDP is sick and presently in the ICU,” he lamented.
The former Bayelsa governor said the party that once electrified his supporters and dominated Nigeria’s political space has now been reduced to a shadow of itself.
He accused some PDP governors of weakening the party by cozying up to the ruling All Progressives Congress, a move he said deepened internal crises and stripped the PDP of its strength as a credible opposition platform.
According to Dickson, the worsening situation left him with no choice but to seek a fresh political path under the Nigeria Democratic Congress, recently approved by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
He declared that aligning with the NDC reflects his current political direction and aspirations.
In a dramatic welcome ceremony shortly after his speech, Dickson was handed the NDC flag and presented with a membership card boldly numbered “001,” signaling his status as one of the party’s foundational figures.
Dickson, who governed Bayelsa State from 2012 to 2020 before moving to the Senate in 2023 on the PDP ticket, now becomes one of the highest-profile defectors as political realignments gather momentum ahead of 2027.
