Senator Seriake Dickson Criticize Diri for Dumping PDP

Senator Seriake Dickson has criticised Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, over his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), accusing him and other defectors of abandoning the problems they created within the party.

Diri’s resignation was announced on Wednesday during a State Executive Council meeting at the Government House in Yenagoa, ending weeks of speculation about his planned defection. His exit came shortly after Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah joined the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Speaking with journalists after the Senate plenary, Dickson, who represents Bayelsa West, said Diri had consulted him “several times” before making his decision. He noted that he found no convincing reason for a second-term governor to dump the PDP, insisting that the move weakens Nigeria’s democracy.

The former governor described the mass defections from the PDP as a product of poor leadership and internal mismanagement. He accused some governors and members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of creating a crisis they could not resolve, only to now flee from it.

According to Dickson, those responsible for the party’s instability are the same people now seeking refuge in the ruling APC, leaving behind a fractured opposition. He said their actions make Nigeria’s democracy appear weak and chaotic before the world.

Dickson also condemned the growing trend of defections, saying it undermines the principles of multi-party democracy and endangers Nigeria’s political balance.

He reaffirmed his commitment to the PDP, recalling the party’s role in empowering the Niger Delta and giving the region national political relevance. He added that a true democracy requires a strong opposition to hold the ruling party accountable.

“I remain where I have always been,” Dickson said. “A democracy without opposition ceases to be a democracy.”