Former Bayelsa State Governor and Senator representing Bayelsa West Henry Seriake Dickson has accused his successor Governor Douye Diri of betraying the political trust that brought him to power by defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Dickson who spoke in a lengthy statement following his homecoming to Bayelsa on Friday said the governor’s decision to join the APC amounted to surrendering 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.
‘Every single one of the people in the current government was nurtured and supported for years by me’ he said.
Dickson 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.
He 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.
The former governor alleged that his successor had now turned against those who supported his political journey accusing the administration of pettiness propaganda blackmail and victimisation.
He said: ‘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.’
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.
Despite his disagreement with Diri Dickson 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.
The former governor also used his homecoming to rally support for Obi and other NDC candidates ahead of the 2027 general election.
He expressed confidence in the party’s prospects in Bayelsa the Niger Delta and other parts of the country urging residents to vote for its candidates across all elective positions.
Dickson made the appeal during his visit to the state where he was accompanied by Obi and the Director-General of the NDC National Campaign Council Mallam Ibrahim Abdulkarim.
The visit featured the commissioning of the party’s state secretariat in Yenagoa and a reception at Dickson’s country home in Toru-Orua Sagbama Local Government Area.
Obi also participated in a traditional Ijaw war boat regatta organised in honour of the former governor.
Dickson said the NDC represented a political tradition rooted in the struggle for equity justice and an inclusive Nigeria.
He recalled the contributions of political figures such as Harold Dapabiriye Chief Melford Okilo Isaac Adaka Boro Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha and Pa Edwin Clark to the political development of the Niger Delta.
He urged younger Nigerians to sustain their legacies through purposeful political participation and service.
The NDC leader also disclosed that he had discussed the formation of the party with former President Goodluck Jonathan describing its emergence as part of a broader effort to promote inclusive politics and national development.
Dickson called on party members to organise at the grassroots and resist any unlawful attempt by security agencies or electoral officials to undermine the will of voters during the 2027 elections.
He challenged politicians who claimed to enjoy popular support to demonstrate it through the ballot rather than intimidation or manipulation.
‘Those who claim to be popular should test that popularity at the polls and allow the votes to count’ he said.
He also urged Bayelsans to remain calm despite what he described as hardship intimidation harassment and dismissals allegedly suffered by some supporters of his political camp.
The former governor said his disagreement with Diri would not change his commitment to defending the interests of Bayelsa and the wider Niger Delta.
‘My politics has always been about service defending the rights of our people and standing with the oppressed across Nigeria. There is nothing good for our people that is bad for Nigeria’ he said.
Dickson thanked party leaders traditional rulers community elders youths women and supporters who welcomed him and Obi during the visit.
He described the reception in Toru-Orua and neighbouring communities as a demonstration of the people’s attachment to their cultural heritage and political identity.