Leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, has dismissed speculations of an imminent presidential ambition while leaving the door open to a future bid, even as he launched a scathing critique of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), declaring it “ideologically dead.”
Speaking on Politics Today on Channels Television Tuesday, Dickson said the immediate focus of the newly registered NDC is to build a broad-based political movement that accommodates Nigerians from all walks of life.
“Our priority now is to bring Nigerians into this party and make them see it as their platform,” he said. “We will work with credible Nigerians who are ready to contest for offices, including the presidency.”
Pressed on his personal ambition, the former Bayelsa State governor clarified that while he is qualified to run for Nigeria’s highest office, he is not actively pursuing the presidency at this time.
“That’s not what I’m considering now,” Dickson stated. “But it is not impossible. Don’t declare a presidential ambition for me—when the time comes, I will organize and speak for myself.”
‘PDP LEFT US’
In a pointed reflection on his political departure, Dickson rejected claims that he and others defected from the PDP, insisting instead that the party had lost its essence.
“It is not fair to say we left the PDP; it is more appropriate to say the PDP left us,” he said. “The PDP that Nigerians knew; trusted and voted for—is gone. That party has been killed and buried.”
He described the current state of the PDP as a hollow shell, far removed from the political powerhouse that once produced three successive presidents; Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, and Goodluck Jonathan.
According to Dickson, internal crises, leadership failures, and what he termed “shenanigans” have eroded the party’s ideological foundation and public trust.
“What has happened to one of Nigeria’s most iconic political brands is like infanticide,” he said. “A child entrusted to leaders has been destroyed by negligence, personal ambition, and the inability to resolve internal problems.”
NDC POSITIONING AS ALTERNATIVE
The NDC leader said the new party aims to fill the vacuum left by what he described as the PDP’s collapse, offering Nigerians a credible alternative grounded in democratic ideals and inclusivity.
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Dickson, who traced his political journey from the Alliance for Democracy (AD) through the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) before joining the PDP in the mid-2000s, said his exit was a painful but necessary decision after efforts to salvage the party failed.
“We stayed as long as we could, hoping to save the PDP because of its historic contributions to Nigeria’s democracy,” he said. “But the reality is clear—the platform has lost its soul.”
While declining to apportion specific blame to individuals, Dickson maintained that responsibility for the PDP’s decline is widespread among its leadership.
“There is enough blame to go around,” he added.
LOOKING AHEAD
With the NDC still in its formative stage, Dickson emphasized that party-building, grassroots mobilization, and candidate recruitment remain top priorities ahead of future electoral cycles.
Political observers say his remarks signal both a strategic repositioning and a potential long-term ambition, even as he publicly downplays immediate presidential aspirations.
For now, however, Dickson insists the mission is bigger than any single candidate.
“This is about building a platform Nigerians can trust again,” he said.