The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has dismissed as false reports that its National Leader, Seriake Dickson, is secretly working to undermine the party's 2027 presidential ticket. The party's spokesperson, Mr Director, said on Tuesday that allegations Dickson was scheming against presidential candidate Peter Obi and his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, were completely unfounded.
Mr Director also rejected suggestions that Dickson was positioning himself to support the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the general election. He said the party had initially considered ignoring what he called "the beer-parlour talk and murmurs" spreading across social media but decided to respond to "prevent people from believing lies."
Dickson's Record in the Senate Cited as Proof of Loyalty
The spokesperson pointed to Dickson's record in the Senate as evidence of his commitment to the NDC's values. He said Dickson's "consistent, courageous and principled position" over more than seven years in the legislature showed he was not a man who bent easily to political pressure.
Mr Director added that Dickson could have taken "the easy way out" by defecting to the APC but had not done so. The former Bayelsa governor and serving senator joined the NDC earlier in 2026 after leaving the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Dickson's Political Journey Across Multiple Parties
Dickson began his political career in the now-defunct Alliance for Democracy, where he served as Bayelsa State chairman between 1998 and 2000, before later becoming the party's national legal adviser in 2000. He moved to the PDP in 2005 and was appointed commissioner for justice and attorney-general of Bayelsa State under then-Governor Goodluck Jonathan from 2006 to 2007.
He won a seat in the House of Representatives for Sagbama/Ekeremor Federal Constituency, serving from 2007 to 2012, before becoming Bayelsa governor from 2012 to 2020. After leaving Government House, Dickson won a senatorial seat in 2020 representing Bayelsa West District under the PDP and was re-elected in 2023. He departed the PDP in March 2026 and joined the NDC, a party he co-founded in preparation for the 2027 elections.
Obi's Ratification and Presidency Challenge
Peter Obi, who resigned from the African Democratic Congress on May 2, 2026, was ratified as the NDC's presidential candidate on May 29, 2026. The NDC's full statement on the matter was shared on X.
Legit.ng earlier reported that the Presidency challenged Obi to honour his pledge to quit his presidential campaign if evidence of unpaid liabilities from his time as Anambra governor is established. Obi had denied leaving behind salary, pension and contractor debts, saying his administration cleared over ₦35bn in historical gratuities before handing over in 2014. Anambra's Commissioner for Information disputed Obi's account of an ecological fund, saying bank records showed the amount he claimed never existed in the account.
