Barely a few hours after Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), former Governor and serving Senator, Seriake Dickson, has faulted the decision, describing it as “a deletion of democracy.”

Dickson made the remark on Wednesday in Abuja while addressing journalists in reaction to the governor’s defection.

According to the former governor, the trend of politicians defecting to the ruling party poses a serious threat to Nigeria’s democratic system and the principle of multi-party politics.

“Everyone is rushing to the ruling party. You don’t even know what is pursuing them or what they are pursuing. But whatever it is, it diminishes our democracy and endangers our multi-party system. I believe in a multi-party Nigeria,” Dickson said.

He further warned that democracy cannot thrive without a vibrant opposition, stressing that the absence of opposition automatically leads to dictatorship and totalitarianism.

“A democracy without opposition ceases to be a democracy. It has become a dictatorship from that day. It becomes totalitarianism from that day,” he added.

Senator Dickson, who represents Bayelsa West in the National Assembly, maintained that opposition does not necessarily mean conflict, adding that he still supports the President’s constitutional responsibilities.

“Opposition does not mean you have to be fighting. Here I am, supporting the President’s nomination as provided by the Constitution. It is the responsibility of the President to forward the name of the INEC Chairman to us, and he has done that,” he explained.

Dickson reaffirmed his loyalty to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying that internal challenges within the party should be addressed through leadership and dialogue rather than defection.

“I am still standing in the PDP. The Niger Delta people have had opportunities to run for elections and to emerge as Vice President, Acting President, and even President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I don’t believe Nigeria should be a one-party state,” he said.

He described himself as “a soldier of democracy” who remains steadfast in his political convictions despite the turbulence of political life.

“I am as constant as the Northern Star—steadfast in the People’s Democratic Party—and working with my colleagues and friends to ensure that the problems in the party are resolved,” he stated.

The senator, however, took a swipe at the PDP leadership, accusing some governors and members of the working committee of creating the crisis currently plaguing the party.

“I hope that the governors and the leadership working committee who created this mess in our party. those who, instead of showing leadership, created confusion and ensured that it persisted for this long—will not now be the ones bailing out after creating a problem they could not or refused to solve,” he concluded.