By Rhoda Godwin
A prominent political figure and elder statesman in Bayelsa State, Chief Joseph Ambakederimo, has criticized the formation of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) by former Bayelsa State Governor and Senator representing Bayelsa West, Chief Henry Seriake Dickson, describing it as a move driven by malice and personal ambition.
Ambakederimo, who is the Convener of the South South Reawakening Group (SSRG) and a constituent of Dickson from Sagbama Local Government Area, made the remarks while speaking with journalists in Yenagoa on Wednesday.
Dickson had recently announced his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and unveiled the NDC as a new political platform.
Reacting to the development, Ambakederimo said the new party would fail to gain traction in Bayelsa State and the wider South-South region.
According to him, the formation of the party is linked to Dickson’s alleged ambition to return to the Senate for a third term, which he claimed has created tension among political stakeholders in Bayelsa West Senatorial District.
“The launch of the Nigeria Democratic Congress by Senator Henry Dickson is borne out of malice and deep animosity against political actors in Bayelsa West Senatorial District, including Governor Douye Diri, who is perceived to be standing against his bid to return to the Senate for a third term,” Ambakederimo said.
He noted that the real issue behind the development is the contest for the Bayelsa West Senatorial seat.
“For the benefit of the Bayelsa people who may not understand what is at stake, what is at stake is the Bayelsa West Senatorial District seat and nothing more,” he stated.
Ambakederimo argued that Dickson had previously benefited from an unwritten political arrangement in the district but was now allegedly attempting to undermine it.
He further described the NDC as “dead on arrival,” insisting that the party would not have any meaningful presence in Bayelsa politics.
“The NDC will have no place in Bayelsa political space as there are no justifiable reasons given for the formation of the group but a clear design to distract governance in the state and alter the peace the state is presently enjoying,” he said.
The elder statesman warned that personal political ambitions should not be allowed to destabilize the state, urging Dickson to reconsider his decision and support the administration of Governor Douye Diri.
“As much as we hold Senator Henry Dickson in high esteem, we must also admonish him when there are tendencies of him making mistakes,” he added.
Ambakederimo also described the emergence of the NDC as a “retrogressive tendency,” arguing that introducing an unknown political party into Bayelsa’s political space could create unnecessary tension and distract from the state’s development agenda.
He recalled that earlier political movements in the Niger Delta had struggled to survive without alliances, suggesting that the NDC might face a similar fate.
“The NDC will become only a dot in the history of political party trajectory in Nigeria,” he said.
