The National Leader of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Seriake Dickson, has hosted leaders and founding members of the former Alliance for Democracy (AD) at a meeting in Abuja.
Dickson, former founding state president and national legal advisor of AD, said the meeting provided an opportunity for former members and political leaders to reconnect and reflect on their contributions to Nigeria’s democratic development.
In a statement shared on his Facebook page, the former governor of Bayelsa State recalled that Nigeria had only three political parties when the current democratic administration began in 1998/1999.
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He said his political journey began during that period with his involvement in the AD, describing the party as ideological and principled.
Among those who attended the meeting were one of the founding fathers of AD, Chief Michael Odurinde; the founding National Secretary of the party, Prof. Udenta Udenta; and Dr. Manzo Abubakar, former Protem National Publicity Secretary and leader of the party’s Northern Caucus.
Dickson said the participants reflected on their experiences and recalled the efforts made by AD and its members in laying the foundation of Nigeria’s Fourth Republic.
He said his experience in AD, as well as his involvement in the Ijaw and Niger Delta movements, equipped him with organizational skills and shaped his approach to opposition politics.
“My experience in AD and my involvement in the Ijaw and Niger Delta movements taught me the art of organizing people and groups since 1998, and prepared me for a life of principled opposition politics,” Dickson said.
According to him, engaging in principled opposition politics requires conviction, courage and tolerance, qualities which he said remained central to his political activities, including his current role in the NDC.
The former governor said the meeting also honored fallen leaders and colleagues, and participants observed a minute of silence in their memory.
He said those present expressed their appreciation for the initiative, agreed that it was long overdue, and resolved to continue the meeting in the future.
Dickson revealed that the organizing committee would work out modalities for wider participation in subsequent meetings, particularly for former AD members who were unable to attend the Abuja meeting.
He added that a communication system had also been established to allow members to stay connected and receive timely information about future meetings.
Dickson thanked the former AD leaders and members for honoring the invitation and wished them a safe journey back to their respective destinations.
The meeting comes as Dickson continues his political activities within the NDC, where he serves as one of the party’s leading figures..
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