‘Our Victory Was Donated to APC’: Dickson Blasts Diri as Obi Tells Tinubu to Quit 2027 Race

Former Bayelsa State Governor and Senator, Seriake Dickson, has accused his successor, Governor Douye Diri, of handing over the state’s political structure to the All Progressives Congress (APC) despite the party’s alleged failure to win Bayelsa through the ballot.

Dickson made the accusation in a statement following his homecoming to Bayelsa State over the weekend, where the state secretariat of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) was commissioned.

The NDC national leader described Diri’s defection to the APC as a betrayal of the political structure that facilitated his emergence as governor, insisting that the party had benefited from the political sacrifices of those who built the state’s ruling structure.

Dickson said he had deliberately refrained from commenting extensively on political developments in Bayelsa to avoid creating tension and preserve peace.

However, he said the time had come to make his position clear, accusing Diri of abandoning those who supported his political journey.

“Every single one of the people in the current government was nurtured and supported for years by me,” he said.

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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.

He explained that his decision to support Diri’s emergence was motivated by the need to sustain Ijaw political leadership and promote fairness among the different local government areas in the state.

Dickson, however, accused his successor of turning against those who helped him politically, alleging that the current administration had resorted to 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 through the ballot, claiming that his political influence had prevented the party from taking control of the state since 2015.

He also expressed disappointment that Diri joined the ruling party without securing what he described as corresponding benefits for Bayelsa from the Federal Government.

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The senator further criticised the Federal Government over what he considered inadequate infrastructure development and poor representation of Bayelsa and the Niger Delta in federal appointments.

Despite his disagreements 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 added.

Meanwhile, an aide to Governor Diri has said the governor would not respond to Dickson’s allegations.

The aide, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the administration was more interested in delivering its programmes than engaging in political exchanges with the former governor.

“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.

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“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.

Also reacting, the Technical Adviser to Governor Diri on General Duties, Miriki Ebikibina, described Dickson’s comments as unfortunate.

Ebikibina urged 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 Dickson’s criticism, recalling the political support and opportunities he allegedly received from former President Goodluck Jonathan, including appointments as commissioner and Attorney-General, as well as his emergence as a member of the House of Representatives and later governor.

Ebikibina also recalled the political circumstances surrounding Dickson’s emergence as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, claiming that prominent party stakeholders, including Jonathan and King A.J. Turner, played significant roles in securing his candidacy and electoral victory.

He urged Dickson and the NDC to emulate the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, whom he described as someone who focused his campaign on issues rather than personal attacks.

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According to him, the Diri administration’s achievements reflect purposeful leadership and effective governance, adding that political disagreements should not overshadow constructive engagement on issues affecting the state.

In a related development, the NDC presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has asked President Bola Tinubu to abandon his re-election ambition ahead of the 2027 presidential election, saying Nigeria needs a leader with the energy and capacity to address its economic and security challenges.

Obi made the call on Friday in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, during the commissioning of the NDC campaign office and secretariat.

The former Anambra State governor urged Tinubu to retire from the presidential race and return home to rest, arguing that Nigerians could no longer afford leadership that, in his view, lacked the drive to tackle the country’s mounting challenges.

He accused the APC-led Federal Government of failing to address widespread poverty, hunger, unemployment, insecurity, poor healthcare and inadequate electricity supply.

Obi lamented that millions of Nigerians were struggling to afford basic necessities, while access to quality healthcare, education and employment remained a major challenge.

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Taking a direct swipe at Tinubu’s second-term ambition, he said, “The man is tired. He needs to go home. Tinubu must go and rest. We want him to go and rest.

“Today, we have a country that produces the highest number of poor people in the world. Today, we have a country where our people are hungry. Nigerians don’t know where the next meal will come from.”

Obi also expressed concern over the state of public healthcare, saying some Nigerians had been forced to seek spiritual interventions instead of accessing medical treatment.

He further blamed poor educational infrastructure and unemployment for undermining national development.

Outlining his party’s agenda, the NDC presidential candidate said an Obi-led government would prioritise national unity, security, domestic production, accountability and job creation.

“We are telling you that NDC is coming to build a new Nigeria that is possible. We want to move Nigeria from consumption to production. We will start by uniting the country,” he said.

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Obi pledged to strengthen public institutions, tackle insecurity and guarantee equal opportunities for Nigerians irrespective of their ethnic or geographical backgrounds.

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