NEWS
“I Refused APC To Prevent Nigeria From Becoming A One-Party State“ — NDC National Leader, Sen. Seriake Dickson Reveals
The national leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Seriake Dickson, has explained why he rejected the option of joining the All Progressives Congress (APC), saying he was unwilling to support any political arrangement that could push Nigeria towards a one-party system.
Dickson, a former governor of Bayelsa State, said his decision to remain outside the ruling party was driven by his belief in the importance of political competition and the need to preserve alternative platforms for Nigerians ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He made the remarks on Thursday, September 17, 2026, in Abuja when the management of LEADERSHIP Newspaper, led by its Vice Chairman, Mike Okpere, visited him to formally present the notification of his selection as the newspaper’s Politician of the Year 2026.
The newspaper had earlier announced Dickson as the recipient of the honour, citing his political activities and his role in the emergence and development of the NDC as a new opposition platform ahead of the 2027 elections.
Receiving the delegation, Dickson expressed appreciation to the management and board of the newspaper, describing the recognition as unexpected because neither he nor members of his political team were aware of the nomination before the announcement.
The NDC leader, however, said he viewed the award as being larger than his individual political career, stressing that the recognition should also extend to the party’s leaders, members, supporters and Nigerians who contributed to the emergence of the new political platform.
Dickson subsequently reflected on the political circumstances that culminated in the formation of the NDC, particularly the challenges confronting his former party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
According to him, the decision to establish a new political platform came at a period when the prospects of rebuilding a strong opposition party appeared uncertain.
Rather than defecting to the APC, Dickson said he and his political associates decided to pursue a different path by creating an organisation capable of providing Nigerians with another political option.
“I did not believe Nigeria should become a one-party state,” he said.
He explained that his position was informed by the need to preserve political pluralism and ensure that Nigerians continued to have competing political platforms through which they could participate in the democratic process.
Dickson said the decision to build a new party was therefore not merely about creating another political organisation, but about responding to what he described as the need for a credible opposition structure capable of competing in national politics.
According to him, the NDC has recorded significant progress since its emergence, expanding its political structure and attracting prominent figures ahead of the 2027 elections.
“Months down the line, we have built a formidable party and a major opposition platform in Nigeria,” he said.
The former Bayelsa governor also acknowledged the roles played by Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso in the development of the NDC.
Obi is the party’s presidential candidate, while Kwankwaso is its vice-presidential candidate. Both politicians formally joined the NDC earlier in 2026 as part of efforts to consolidate the party’s national structure ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The party has subsequently intensified preparations for the elections, including the process of selecting and submitting candidates for various elective positions across the country.
In August, Kwankwaso coordinated the submission of NDC candidates across the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory, in an exercise involving party officials and candidates contesting different positions.
The NDC has also appeared in the final list of candidates released for the 2027 senatorial elections, with Dickson himself listed as the party’s candidate for Bayelsa West Senatorial District.
With the electoral contest drawing closer, Dickson used the engagement with the newspaper’s management to appeal for greater unity within the NDC.
He urged party members to move beyond disagreements arising from the nomination process and focus their attention on strengthening the organisation and mobilising support for its candidates.
The NDC leader cautioned that internal disagreements should not be allowed to undermine the party’s broader political objectives, stressing the importance of collective effort as the party prepares for the 2027 elections.
He also called for restraint among politicians and urged political parties to avoid what he described as destructive propaganda as political activities intensify.
Beyond the affairs of the NDC, Dickson addressed the broader political and electoral environment, calling on President Bola Tinubu and the nation’s security agencies to ensure that political parties and their candidates are allowed to operate freely throughout the election period.
He said political parties should be able to campaign across the country without intimidation, while Nigerians should be allowed to make their electoral choices freely and without fear.
Dickson also urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other stakeholders to work towards elections that are free, fair and credible.
According to him, the credibility of the electoral process remains important to the strength of Nigeria’s democratic institutions and national unity.
He further appealed to politicians to respect the judiciary whenever electoral and political disputes arise, arguing that political disagreements should not automatically degenerate into prolonged legal battles.
Dickson maintained that political differences should ultimately be resolved through democratic institutions, the electoral process and the ballot box.
His comments come as political parties and emerging political alliances across Nigeria intensify preparations for the 2027 general elections, with the opposition space undergoing significant realignments and new platforms seeking to challenge established political structures.