Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, the National Leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), on Monday defended the legitimacy and independence of the newly formed political party during a live appearance on AIT’s Focus Nigeria, dismissing allegations that it is a proxy of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and clarifying that there is no legal dispute surrounding its registration.
Speaking amid growing political speculation, the former Bayelsa State governor said the party’s registration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) followed due process and compliance with a court order, insisting that “there’s no litigation against NDC registration” and that INEC “has already implemented the court order and cannot reverse.” He rejected claims that either INEC or the ruling APC was seeking to challenge the party in court, describing such assertions as baseless.
Dickson pushed back strongly against narratives suggesting that the NDC was created to weaken opposition forces or serve the interests of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, stating that “I’m used to this kind of bully tactics” and stressing that he is “not someone who is swayed by propaganda and blackmail.” He added that “no one has opposed the policy and administration of President Tinubu more than me,” pointing to his record in the Senate as evidence of his independence.
The senator described the NDC as an ideological platform established to bring together Nigerians who share similar democratic values, noting that it remains open to engagement with other political groups but is not aligned with any existing party. He emphasized the constitutional right to political association, saying, “No one can blackmail or bully me or any other Nigerian to belong to a party or form a party or take one view or the other. That’s blackmail, and you don’t do that.”
Addressing critics who have urged him and his supporters to align with other opposition platforms such as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) or the Labour Party Nigeria, Dickson insisted that Nigerians must be allowed to make independent political choices. He said, “Democracy means you have the right and the freedom to be in the ADC, to be in the APC… to be in the Labour Party… and… thousands of Nigerians… also have a right to be in the NDC,” adding that “we have no duty or obligation to belong to the ADC or to be available to support any presidential aspirant that people support.”
He also alleged that some individuals who publicly identify as members of the opposition are in fact aligned with the current administration, stating that “most of the people who say they are opposition… are the people in bed with the present administration,” while maintaining that he has remained consistent in his political stance over the years.
Referencing his political history, Dickson reiterated his willingness to always speak out on national issues. He framed the criticism facing the NDC as part of a broader pattern experienced by emerging political movements, citing Mahatma Gandhi: “First they will ignore you, then they will laugh at you, then they will attack you… and when that happens, then you win.”
The interview comes amid shifting alliances and heightened political activity ahead of future elections, as new and existing parties seek to redefine their positions within Nigeria’s democratic landscape, with Dickson maintaining that the NDC will continue to expand its base and offer Nigerians an alternative political platform.
Rather than dissolve into ADC, APC or any other party, the Senator who represents Bayelsa West Senatorial District in the 10th Senate said the NDC is joining the fray to run against, and defeat, these supposedly big parties. “The NDC will field candidates for all positions in the next general elections, from the Presidency all the way down to the state houses of assembly, and even the council polls”, he said.
