Dickson Pushes For Opposition Unity, Welcomes To NDC New Defectors From Yobe, Edo

Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, national leader of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), has called for an end to hostile rhetoric among opposition parties, urging members to see themselves as part of one political family.

In a statement posted on his X handle, Dickson, the senator representing Bayelsa West, said he received Senator Mohammed Hassan from Yobe State, alongside other political leaders and stakeholders who have joined the NDC.
He also welcomed High Chief Peter Ojemen (Don P) from Edo State, describing them as patriots who identify with the NDC’s vision of multi-party democracy and inclusive governance.

Dickson emphasised that the NDC was not formed to supplant or weaken other opposition parties, but to provide an alternative platform and an umbrella for all opposition parties and well-meaning Nigerians, especially under what he called a “strangulating and suffocating political environment.”

He assured new members they would be treated with fairness and respect, and given the freedom to pursue their political aspirations within the party’s constitutional framework.

The Senator called on NDC supporters to refrain from casting aspersions on leading opposition figures, and also appealed to supporters of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and other parties to avoid rhetoric tarnishing the reputation of NDC members.

“We must see ourselves, whether in the ADC, APM, or other genuine opposition parties, as belonging to one political family,” he said.

Dickson warned that the opposition operates in a difficult political climate marked by intimidation, persecution, and victimisation from key government institutions.

He urged all parties to rise above division and work collectively towards a “National Salvation Programme” to rescue the nation from what he described as the failed policies of the APC-led government since 2015.

“This is not the time for division or needless attacks. The moment demands unity, sacrifice, and a shared sense of purpose,” he added.

He directed all NDC zonal, state, and local government chairmen to warmly accommodate new members, reiterating that the party belongs to all Nigerians.