LEADERSHIP Award Purely On Merit, I Dedicate It To NDC, Nigerians – Dickson

The national leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, has dedicated the LEADERSHIP Newspaper’s award of Politician of the Year to be confered on him on December 1 to the party and Nigerians.

Dickson, a former governor of Bayelsa State, disclosed this in Abuja recently during the presentation of the award letter to him  by the management of LEADERSHIP Group Limited, publishers of LEADERSHIP Newspapers.

The Senator representing the Bayelsa West District declared that multiparty democracy must survive, saying “Nigeria will not, should not be a one-party state.”

Dickson said it was  in realisation of this goal that he and other like-minded politicians  pushed  and championed NDC as an alternative platform when other opposition political parties were being weakened.

The former member of the House of Representatives commended the NDC presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, his running mate, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso and other leaders for joining forces with him to rescue Nigeria’s democracy through providing a credible alternative platform.

Dickson thanked LEADERSHIP for the recognition without any prompting but purely on merit, appreciating the management of the Newspaper for keeping the vision of its founder, the Late Sam Nda-Isaiah alive even after his demise.

“I want to commend you and the entire board and management of LEADERSHIP with the way you people have gone about this, deliberating and conferring this award on me, without my knowledge, and I got to hear about this the way every other Nigerian heard about it. That means all the other award recipients also never lobbied, never paid anything.

“This award will be dedicated to two sets of people. The first set are my colleagues, the members and officials and officers of the Nigeria Democratic Congress who had a very difficult time. It appeared unrealistic.

“It was like a mirage, it was like a dream when the PDP was going down the drain and appeared irredeemable. I took a position I can’t be in an opposition party that is not an opposition party. And I decided not to even go to the ruling party and decided also not to be part of the ADC at the time it was coming up.

“The vision of NDC would not have been complete if Nigerians, for whom it was set up, did not embrace and buy into it. So this award is also dedicated to all Nigerians.

“So, to all Nigerians, we are taking this rather unusual but necessary and difficult path. Because Nigerian democracy must survive. Multiparty democracy must survive. And Nigeria will not, should not, be a one-party state. That’s why it’s a very difficult path. This is not an easy path to take,” he stated.

Dickson also condemned every attempt at introducing violence and intimidation anywhere in the country as the campaigns for the 2027 general elections gather momentum.

He announced plans by the NDC leadership to formally write security agencies about its campaign itinerary so that they can plan and ensure that adequate security is provided for all the party’s candidates as they traverse  the nation.

Dickson called on President Bola Tinubu to lead the charge to de-escalate the tension introduced by “some officials, overzealous persons, who are introducing violence and who seek to intimidate, and in some cases even cause bodily harm, to other law-abiding Nigerians.

“Whether we disagree or not, we must all agree that a conducive atmosphere and environment must be created for all to canvass their views.We are not enemies. We are fellow Nigerians who disagree.

“The President should lead the charge, call the security and the law enforcement community to order, and give them a clear mandate that intimidation and violence, and stopping people from going to places to campaign, and deliberately introducing thuggery and violence, even before elections, is not acceptable,”he added.

Presenting the letter of award, the Vice Chairman of LEADERSHIP Group, Mr Mike Okpere, said the mega political coalition championed by Dickson through the NDC was revolutionary and deserved recognition, hence the Politician of the Year award.

“When we sat down to examine the economy, look at people, we found a lot of people that are deserving of mention and to call out positively. You are one of those people.

“We saw in you a revolution that started. We are watching from a distance and we saw how you put together the mega political coalition called NDC,” he stated.

Also speaking, a Director of the LEADERSHIP group, Abraham

Nda-saiah said the award which followed a rigorous review is to be confered on Dickson in recognition of his distinguished record of public service, proven leadership across multiple levels of governance, and exceptional influence on Nigeria’s evolving political landscape.

“Your career spanning law, House of Representatives, two-time governor of Bayelsa State, and service in the Senate reflect an uncommon depth of political and government experience.

“As governor, you established a record of development and investment in education, while your continued service in the Senate has sustained your contribution to national affairs,” he said.

Nda-saiah noted that what particularly distinguished Dickson’s nomination was the remarkable political significance of his activities within the period under review.

“The founding and rapid emergence of Nigeria Democratic Congress as a notable political platform demonstrated your capacity to initiate, organise, and influence political development beyond conventional structures,” he added.

In his remarks, the Group Managing Director of LEADERSHIP Group, Mr Muazu Elazeh, said the award was part of the organisation’s social responsibility to identify Nigerians doing well in different areas of endeavour to honour them and spur them to do more.

Elazeh said for the NDC national leader, apart from his antecedents as governor and federal lawmaker, the momentum his party had brought to the nation’s political landscape could not go unrecognised, hence the LEADERSHIP award.