2027: Obi will win Bayelsa, Niger Delta, Nigeria — Dickson

By Henry Umoru ABUJA — National Leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Seriake Dickson, has expressed confidence that the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, will win Bayelsa State, the Niger Delta and the country at large in the January 16, 2027 general election. Dickson also declared that the All Progressives Congress (APC) had nothing to offer the people of Bayelsa, accusing the ruling party of failing to deliver meaningful infrastructure, including roads and bridges, to the state and the wider Niger Delta region.

The former Bayelsa State governor spoke during a visit to his home state and community, Toru-Orua, alongside Obi and other NDC leaders. In a statement posted on his Facebook page on Sunday, Dickson claimed that the APC had never defeated him politically or won Bayelsa State through the ballot. He also boasted that he had been the major obstacle preventing the APC from winning the state since 2015, despite the defeat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the federal level.

“The APC never defeated me and they have never won Bayelsa on the ballot. I have been the obstacle stopping them from winning Bayelsa since 2015, even with the defeat of the PDP at the centre,” he said. Dickson accused Governor Douye Diri, whom he said he had supported and helped bring to power, of handing the state over to the APC, thereby turning him and his political associates into opposition members in an administration they helped establish.

He, however, described Diri as his brother and compatriot, saying their disagreement was over the political direction of the state. “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,” Dickson said.

The senator said he had deliberately refrained from making extensive public comments on the political developments in the state to preserve peace and prevent a crisis. He, however, urged his supporters and Bayelsans to make their political positions known ahead of the 2027 elections, while appealing to them to remain peaceful and avoid attacks, threats or abuses against political opponents.

Dickson also alleged that some of his supporters had experienced intimidation, harassment and dismissal from political appointments, although he did not provide specific details to substantiate the claims. He maintained that his opposition to the APC was informed by what he described as the absence of tangible federal development projects, life-changing policies and adequate representation for the Niger Delta in federal appointments.

According to him, the NDC is committed to equity, justice and an inclusive Nigeria, insisting that the interests of the Niger Delta must be pursued alongside those of other regions. The former governor urged party members to mobilise across their communities and constituencies, promising to join them in the campaigns. He also called on them to resist electoral intimidation and any unlawful attempts by security personnel or electoral officials to undermine the will of voters.

“Those who claim to be popular should test that popularity at the polls and allow the votes to count,” he said. Dickson said he was accompanied on the visit by Obi, the Director-General of the NDC National Campaign Council, Mallam Ibrahim Abdulkarim, and other party leaders. He thanked the party’s National Chairman, Senator Moses Cleopas, members of the National Working Committee, state and local government executives, ward chairmen and other stakeholders for their participation in the visit.

He also disclosed that the delegation commissioned the party’s state secretariat before proceeding to his country home in Toru-Orua, where they were received by traditional rulers, chiefs, elders, youths, women and other residents. Dickson said he introduced Obi to the people of Bayelsa and urged them to support and vote for him, as well as other NDC candidates in the 2027 elections.

He further called on the people to honour the legacies of political figures associated with the Niger Delta struggle, including Harold Dapabiriye, the late Chief Melford Okilo, Isaac Adaka Boro, former Bayelsa governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha and the late Pa Edwin Clark. The senator also recalled his role in the emergence of Diri as governor, saying his succession decision was informed by the need to sustain Ijaw political leadership and promote fairness among communities in Bayelsa.

He alleged that the state’s political transition to the APC had undermined the sacrifices made by him and other party members to establish the current political structure. The visit also featured cultural performances, including an Ijaw traditional war boat regatta organised in Dickson’s honour, which he said he was pleased to share with Obi. He thanked the people of Bayelsa, traditional institutions, party supporters, security agencies, musicians and media organisati