‘Don’t Disparage My Party; Go Form Your Own’ — Dickson Blasts Obedients

ABUJA, NIGERIA — Former Bayelsa State Governor and Senator, Seriake Dickson, has strongly rejected claims that supporters of Peter Obi are doing the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) a favour by backing the party’s presidential ticket.

Speaking during a live appearance on Arise TV’s Prime Time Show, Dickson insisted that the NDC is the entity doing candidates a favour by providing them with an established national platform.

‘We Gave Them Tickets For Free’

Senator Dickson, who is the Founder and Leader of the NDC, explained that Peter Obi and his running mate were handed the party’s presidential ticket without being asked to pay any money. He noted that the party leadership voluntarily opened its doors out of confidence in their candidacy, not out of desperation.

The lawmaker firmly dismissed the popular narrative that the NDC relies on Obi for its political survival, describing such talk as an insult to those who built the party from scratch.

“There is no one doing NDC a favor,” Dickson stated bluntly. “Rather, the NDC and my colleagues are doing people a favor by granting our platform to them.”

Warning to Obedients

Addressing the passionate base of Peter Obi’s followers, widely known as “Obedients,” Dickson warned against the habit of insulting the party or its leadership under the guise of political support.

“You cannot be supporting Peter Obi, if you are genuinely supporting him, and at the same time disparaging me, the leader, or the platform itself. That is nonsensical,” he warned.

Challenge to Critics

The veteran politician challenged critics who look down on the party’s institutional weight to try the grueling process of building an independent political structure themselves.

“If it’s easy for people to form a party, go and form yours,” Dickson challenged.

He reminded the public that the NDC was already an attractive hub for heavyweights, including former governors and prominent national figures, months before Obi and other opposition politicians defected to its platform. He urged political commentators and supporters alike to respect the party machinery rather than painting the NDC as dependent on any individual.

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