Nigeria: Diri Has Betrayed Bayelsa to APC, Says Dickson - 'We Won't Respond' - Gov's Aide

What the report says

Former Bayelsa State governor Seriake Dickson has accused his successor, Governor Douye Diri, of abandoning the political camp that helped build his career and effectively handing control of the state to the All Progressives Congress, a party Dickson says has never won Bayelsa at the polls. The remarks were made in Yenagoa following Dickson’s return to the state over the weekend, when the Nigeria Democratic Congress held events including the commissioning of its state secretariat.

Dickson, now described in the report as a national leader of the NDC, said he had stayed largely silent to avoid worsening political tensions, but felt compelled to speak out. He argued that Diri’s move amounted to giving away the victory of a government he helped shape and said the governor had turned against people who supported his rise through several offices, including work in the state executive and later elected positions.

The report says a Diri aide declined to engage the allegations, saying the governor would not respond and wanted to focus on governance. A technical adviser to the Bayelsa governor, Miriki Ebikibina, separately criticized Dickson’s comments as unhelpful and urged him to show restraint. Ebikibina defended the current administration and said political disputes should not distract from state issues.

The broader article also noted that NDC presidential candidate Peter Obi used the same Bayelsa visit to criticize President Bola Tinubu and urge him not to seek re-election in 2027, saying Nigeria needs a leader with more energy to address economic hardship, insecurity and poor public services.