Former Governor of Bayelsa State and leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Senator Seriake Dickson, has declared that multiparty democracy must be protected in Nigeria, insisting that the country needs both a strong ruling party and a vibrant opposition.
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Dickson spoke on Saturday at the NDC National Convention in Abuja, where party leaders, stakeholders and supporters gathered ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to him, Nigeria must not be allowed to drift into a one-party state, as democracy can only thrive where citizens have credible alternatives and opposition parties are strong enough to hold the government accountable.
“Multiparty democracy must survive in Nigeria. Nigeria needs a strong party in government as well as strong parties in opposition,” he said.
Dickson said the NDC, though barely three months old, had already gained remarkable acceptance across the country.
“A few months ago, they ignored the NDC. They laughed at the NDC. But today, they can no longer ignore us,” he said.
He explained that efforts to register the party began in 2017, following concerns that the ideals and foundations of the Peoples Democratic Party had weakened.
According to him, the party eventually secured a favourable court judgment, which paved the way for its registration by the Independent National Electoral Commission in February.
Dickson insisted that the NDC had come to stay, adding that there was no pending litigation, factional dispute or internal crisis threatening the party.
“The NDC has come to stay. The NDC is good to go. The NDC has no faction, no crisis and no dispute,” he said.
He commended Nigerians, particularly members of the Obedient Movement, for resisting what he described as propaganda, intimidation and blackmail against the party.
Dickson said political leaders from different parts of the country had embraced the NDC’s vision of national unity, inclusion and democratic renewal.
He added that Nigeria’s political landscape would no longer remain the same, stressing that the party would take its message of change to every ward, polling unit, local government and state across the country.
Describing the NDC as a credible and viable opposition platform, Dickson said the party was open to all Nigerians who believe in justice, inclusion and national rebuilding.
He also announced that the party had adopted a resolution zoning its 2027 presidential ticket to Southern Nigeria in the interest of fairness, balance and national stability.
“Today, we have taken a historic resolution zoning the next presidential ticket of our party to the southern part of Nigeria because we want a balanced and stable Nigeria founded on justice, inclusion and equal citizenship,” he said.
Dickson further said the NDC was determined to build an ideological political party similar to South Africa’s African National Congress, rather than a transactional party built only around election-season arrangements.
Also speaking at the convention, former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, said Nigeria must not be allowed to become a one-party state.
Obi, who recently joined the NDC, said the country must remain democratic and must be governed through credible, free and fair elections.
“We must insist that Nigeria cannot become a one-party state. Nigeria must remain a democracy, and we are determined that in 2027, we will have free, fair and credible elections,” Obi said.
He said the NDC was committed to rebuilding Nigeria and restoring hope through good governance, justice, unity and accountable leadership.
Obi also identified poverty, unemployment and insecurity as major challenges confronting Nigerians, saying the country had enough potential to prosper if properly led.
According to him, Nigeria needs responsible leadership that can move the economy from consumption to production and create opportunities for citizens.
He urged Nigerians to support efforts aimed at building a better, fairer and more inclusive country ahead of the 2027 elections.
Similarly, former Kano State governor and 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, backed the NDC’s decision to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to Southern Nigeria.
Kwankwaso said the decision was in the interest of fairness, unity and national healing.
“It is therefore with great sense of unity and solidarity, that as a loyal party member, I support the decision to zone the presidential ticket of the NDC to the South, so that it allows the region to complete its turn in producing national leadership,” he said.
“This represents a true opportunity for national healing. We shall work in abidance with the party’s agreement to ensure fairness and federal character in all ramifications,” he added.
Kwankwaso also lamented the state of the nation, saying Nigeria was facing worsening insecurity, economic hardship and declining public confidence due to poor leadership.
According to him, bad governance had prevented the country from taking advantage of emerging global opportunities.
“Instead of positioning Nigeria to seize emerging opportunities, bad governance has left us bearing the brunt of global changes,” he said.
“We are witnessing a sharp decline in the quality of life. Insecurity has created widows and orphans across the land. Millions have been displaced from their homes.
“Investments are fleeing, critical infrastructure is neglected, the education system is collapsing, and harsh economic policies have been imposed on citizens without meaningful safety nets or relief,” he added.
Kwankwaso, however, expressed confidence that the NDC would offer a new direction if given the opportunity to lead the country.
“The leadership standard we shall set will therefore restore Nigeria’s dignity and will guarantee that our citizens at home and in the diaspora will be treated with respect and dignity,” he said.
The NDC had earlier announced that its 2027 presidential ticket would be zoned to Southern Nigeria, while proposing a single four-year tenure arrangement that would see power return to Northern Nigeria in 2031.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress, who is from Southern Nigeria, assumed office in 2023 after the eight-year administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari from the North.
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