…Warns Against Mass Defections Threatening Democracy
…Ben Murray-Bruce Joins APC, Lauds Tinubu’s Reform Agenda
By Peter Salami
Former Bayelsa State governor and senator representing Bayelsa West, Seriake Dickson, has faulted the decision of Governor Douye Diri to resign from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), describing it as “unnecessary and unjustified” for a sitting, second-term governor who has enjoyed the party’s full support.
Dickson, who spoke with journalists in Abuja yesterday, said Diri’s defection — along with that of his executive council members and all 19 PDP lawmakers in the Bayelsa State House of Assembly — represented a troubling trend that undermines Nigeria’s democratic system and threatens the nation’s multi-party structure.
Governor Diri had earlier announced his resignation from the PDP during a State Executive Council meeting at the Government House, Yenagoa, where it was revealed that all PDP members of the executive council and assembly, including the Speaker, Mr. Abraham Ingobere, had also withdrawn from the party.
His Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, confirmed the development on social media, fueling speculation that the governor and his allies are set to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Senator Dickson, however, questioned the governor’s rationale for leaving the party that gave him its ticket twice and stood by him during political turbulence. “There is no compelling reason for Governor Diri to abandon the PDP,” he said. “He was elected under its platform, supported by its structures, and benefited immensely from its goodwill. What message does this send to our young democracy when those entrusted with leadership turn their backs on their party at the height of their power?”
The senator expressed concern that the wave of defections by sitting governors and senior politicians, including former Senator Ben Murray-Bruce, was eroding ideological consistency and threatening the survival of opposition politics in Nigeria.
“This growing culture of political convenience over conviction is dangerous,” Dickson warned. “Our democracy thrives on choice, on the presence of multiple strong parties. When leaders decamp simply because it suits their immediate interests, they weaken the system and betray the very institutions that made them.”
Murray-Bruce, who represented Bayelsa East in the Senate from 2015 to 2019, also announced his defection to the APC yesterday, citing confidence in President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms.
In a lengthy statement shared on social media, the “Silverbird” founder praised Tinubu’s policies as “painful but necessary,” arguing that they were setting Nigeria on the path to future prosperity. “I have known Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu since 1998,” Murray-Bruce said. “He is driven by results, not applause. His reforms will rebuild the economy and reposition Nigeria as a global player.”
While acknowledging the Senator’s right to association, Dickson nonetheless described the mass movement of Bayelsa leaders to the ruling APC as “a coordinated weakening of opposition voices.”
“I don’t believe Nigeria should become a one-party state,” he stated. “It is disheartening to see people who benefited from the PDP’s platform jump ship the moment challenges arise. Real leadership demands staying power, not opportunism.”
Comparing Nigeria’s political culture with Ghana’s, Dickson noted that in mature democracies, politicians remain loyal to their parties even after losing elections. “In Ghana, when a leader loses, they stay, reorganize, and rebuild. Here, everyone runs to the ruling party. You hardly know whether they are being pursued or pursuing something,” he said, drawing laughter from reporters.
The senator reaffirmed his loyalty to the PDP, declaring that he remains “as constant as the Northern Star.” He urged party members nationwide to remain steadfast, work for internal reforms, and strengthen the PDP as a viable alternative to the ruling APC.
“Our nation’s democracy will only grow when we respect institutions, stay loyal to our convictions, and build strong parties,” Dickson said. “That is why I insist that Governor Diri, as a beneficiary of the PDP’s structure and goodwill, had no compelling reason to abandon it.”
On the broader political landscape, Dickson called for urgent electoral reforms and expressed confidence in the newly nominated INEC Chairman, a Professor of Law and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, to “do things differently” and restore public faith in elections.
“The new INEC leadership must understand that elections are not about cooked figures and court judgments,” he said. “History and posterity will judge their actions. We will continue to work in the Senate to ensure that the necessary reforms to strengthen our democracy are passed into law.”
He concluded with a warning: “Nigeria’s democracy is under strain from political opportunism. Those who truly love this country must resist the slide into a one-party state. The PDP will survive, and the ideals of plural democracy will endure.”