The senator representing Bayelsa West, Seriake Dickson, has announced his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and his decision to join the newly registered Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
Dickson, a former governor of Bayelsa State, made the announcement on Thursday during a media briefing in Abuja.
He attributed his exit from the PDP to what he described as irreconcilable differences within the former ruling party.
The lawmaker said the NDC, recently registered by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), would serve as a credible opposition platform and urged Nigerians to identify with and register in the new party in the interest of strengthening democracy.
“Last week INEC issued a certificate of registration and we now have the newest party in Nigeria known as the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), and our symbol is the victory sign,” Dickson said.
“So, my dear Nigerians, you now have a credible alternative opposition party. We would have wished it started some years or months back, but we do not control INEC or their processes, and we also do not control the judiciary. Thank God it has finally arrived.”
The senator also reiterated his longstanding involvement in opposition politics, noting that Nigeria’s diversity makes a one-party system unsuitable.
“This nation cannot be a one-party state. Nigeria is not designed to be one because we are a very diverse nation culturally, religiously and politically, and that is the beauty of our country,” he said.
“Anyone promoting one-party rule in Nigeria should understand that political parties are built to access power for the good of the people, not for personal gain.”
Last month, INEC announced the registration of two new political parties, the Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA) and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), bringing the total number of registered political parties in the country to 21.
The announcement was made by INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, during the commission’s first quarterly consultative meeting with political party stakeholders for 2026.
According to Amupitan, the DLA successfully completed the commission’s verification process, while the NDC was registered in compliance with a Federal High Court order.
