Senator Henry Seriake Dickson has delivered a scathing critique of Nigeria’s political elite, accusing them of systematically dismantling democratic institutions and steering the nation toward ruin.
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Speaking at a high-level workshop hosted by the Nigeria Civil Society’s Alliance for Democratic Change (NCSADC) in Abuja, the former Bayelsa State governor warned that the country is on the brink of democratic collapse.
In a speech that has since sparked nationwide debate, Dickson alleged that Nigeria’s political class is “unknowingly committing class suicide” by weakening the very systems that sustain governance, justice, and public accountability.
“The Nigerian political class has killed this country, and you [civil society] should not let it happen,” Dickson declared. “They are killing Nigeria; they are making this country look small.”
The senator condemned the culture of political defection and institutional manipulation, citing the judiciary and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as key victims of elite interference.
“Our democracy is now defined by the whims and caprices of a president or governor,” he said. “Court rulings have become predictable. The judiciary is now reduced to reading body language.”
Dickson alleged that federal institutions are being abused to influence election outcomes, with security operatives such as the Department of State Services (DSS), police, and the military allegedly deployed not to secure voters, but to intimidate, harass, and even kill.
“They want INEC under their control. They want election results written for them. That is the hallmark of a failed country,” Dickson stated.
Senator Dickson also criticized the growing detachment of Nigerian politicians from their constituents, highlighting the widening gulf between elected officials and the electorate.
“They don’t even take calls from their people. Their homes are too big, too beautiful. Their people can’t even access them,” he said. “They know they don’t need the people to win elections. The system allows them to impose themselves.”
The Bayelsa lawmaker urged civil society organizations to rise to the occasion and reclaim the country’s democratic integrity.
He warned that if the political class continues to undermine fair elections, judicial independence, and the rule of law, they will not only destroy Nigeria but also themselves.
“If a political class does not believe in free and fair elections, in the rule of law, in an impartial judiciary, then they are not just destroying the country, they are destroying themselves. That’s class suicide.”
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