Diri has betrayed Bayelsa to APC, says Dickson; ‘We won’t respond’ — Gov’s aide

By Samuel Oyadongha Yenagoa—Former Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has accused his successor, Governor Douye Diri, of surrendering government they built together to a party that never won the state through the ballot. Dickson, who spoke in a statement following his homecoming to Bayelsa, weekend, which witnessed the commissioning of the NDC state secretariat, said the governor’s decision to join the APC amounted to ‘donating’ the state to a party he claimed had never won Bayelsa through the ballot.

The National Leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) said he had deliberately refrained from commenting extensively on developments in the state to avoid creating political tension and preserve peace. He, however, declared that the time had come to make his political position clear, accusing Diri of abandoning the political structure that nurtured and supported his emergence as governor.

He said: “Every single one of the people in the current government was nurtured and supported for years by me.” The former governor recalled that Diri served as his Executive Secretary, Deputy Chief of Staff, member of the House of Representatives and Senator before succeeding him as governor. Dickson said his decision to support Diri’s emergence was informed by the need to sustain Ijaw political leadership and promote fairness among the different local government areas in Bayelsa.

He alleged that his successor had now turned against those who supported his political journey, accusing the administration of 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.

Dickson maintained that the APC had never defeated him or won Bayelsa State at the polls, claiming that his political influence had prevented the party from taking control of the state since 2015. He expressed disappointment that Diri had aligned with the APC without securing what he described as corresponding benefits for Bayelsa from the Federal Government.

The senator also criticised the Federal Government over what he described as inadequate infrastructure development and insufficient representation of Bayelsa and the Niger Delta in federal appointments. He, however, 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 won’t respond — Aide 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. Miriki faults Dickson’s remarks Technical Adviser to the Bayelsa State Governor on General Duties, Miriki Ebikibina, described Dickson’s comment as unfortunate, urging the former governor to exercise restraint and uphold the dignity expected of a former chief executive of the state and a serving senator.

He questioned the propriety of Senator Dickson’s remarks, considering the political support and opportunities he received from former President Goodluck Jonathan, including his appointments as a commissioner and Attorney-General, as well as his emergence as a member of the House of Representatives and later as governor of Bayelsa State. Ebikibina also recalled the political circumstances surrounding Dickson’s emergence as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, claiming that party stakeholders, including former President Jonathan and King A.J.

Turner, played significant roles in securing his candidacy and electoral victory. He called on Senator Dickson and the NDC to emulate the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, whom he described as having focused his campaign on issues rather than personal attacks. According to Ebikibina, “the Diri administration’s achievements reflect purposeful leadership and effective governance.

Political disagreements should not overshadow constructive engagement on issues affecting the state.” Obi to Tinubu: You’re tired, quit 2027 race Meanwhile, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress ,NDC, Peter Obi, has asked President Bola Tinubu to abandon his re-election bid in 2027, declaring that Nigeria needs a leader with the energy and capacity to tackle the country’s worsening economic and security challenges.

Obi, who urged Tinubu to retire from the presidential race an