ABUJA — Former Bayelsa State Governor, prominent Niger Delta politician and National Leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Henry Seriake Dickson, has hosted founding members and former leaders of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) at a reunion in Abuja.
Dickson said the gathering provided an opportunity for former AD leaders, colleagues and associates to reconnect and reflect on their contributions to Nigeria’s democratic development.
According to Dickson, Nigeria had only three registered political parties at the beginning of the current democratic dispensation in 1998/1999. He recalled that his own political journey began with the AD, where he served as the founding State Chairman before becoming the party’s National Legal Adviser.
Among those who attended the reunion were Chief Michael Odurinde, described by Dickson as one of the founding fathers of the AD; Prof. Udenta Udenta, the party’s founding National Secretary; and Dr. Manzo Abubakar, a former Protem National Publicity Secretary and leader of the AD’s Northern Caucus.
Dickson said the reunion allowed participants to revisit memories of their political activism and their collective efforts to establish the foundations of Nigeria’s present democratic system.
He described the AD as an ideological and principled political organisation, saying his experience in the party, as well as his involvement in Ijaw and Niger Delta movements, helped shape his approach to political organisation and opposition politics.
“My experience in the AD and my involvement in the Ijaw and Niger Delta movements taught me the art of organising people and groups since 1998,” Dickson said, adding that the experience prepared him for what he described as a life of principled opposition politics.
He said sustained opposition politics requires conviction, courage and tolerance, noting that these qualities have continued to influence his political activities, including his involvement in the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The former governor expressed appreciation to the former AD leaders and associates who attended the reunion at the invitation of the organising committee.
The gathering also featured a minute of silence in honour of deceased leaders and colleagues who, Dickson said, contributed to the democratic struggle but have since passed away.
The reunion comes as Nigeria continues to reflect on the political evolution of the Fourth Republic and the contributions of the political parties and personalities that shaped the transition from military rule to democratic government in 1999.
