Dickson Defends NDC Amid Peter Obi Debate

Former Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson has dismissed claims that supporters of Peter Obi are doing the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) a favour by backing the party’s presidential ticket.

Speaking during an interview on Arise TV’s Prime Time Show, Dickson argued that the NDC had already established itself as a viable political platform and was attracting influential politicians long before Obi and other opposition figures joined the party.

The senator explained that Obi and his running mate received the party’s presidential ticket without making any payment. According to him, the party leadership willingly offered them the opportunity because it believed in their candidacy and electoral prospects.

Dickson strongly rejected suggestions that the NDC needed Obi more than Obi needed the party. He said such claims diminish the efforts of party members and leaders who invested years in building the platform and expanding its national presence.

“There is no one doing NDC a favor,” he said. “Rather, the NDC and my colleagues are doing people a favor by granting our platform to them.”

Addressing Obi’s supporters, popularly known as Obedients, Dickson cautioned against criticising the party or its leadership while simultaneously claiming loyalty to the former Anambra governor. He argued that genuine support for a candidate should not involve attacks on the platform that provides the candidate with political relevance and visibility.

“You cannot be supporting Peter Obi, if you are genuinely supporting him, and at the same time disparaging me, the leader, or the platform itself. That is nonsensical,” Dickson stated.

He also challenged those who believe building a political party is straightforward, encouraging them to establish and develop their own political structures if they consider the process easy.

“If it’s easy for people to form a party, go and form yours,” he said.

The NDC political platform, Dickson added, had attracted former governors and other political heavyweights from across Nigeria months before Obi and other opposition figures joined. He urged supporters and commentators to show greater respect for the party, stressing that the NDC political platform should not be portrayed as dependent on any single individual. According to him, the NDC political platform remains larger than any one politician and will continue to play a significant role in the country’s political landscape.

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