Former Bayelsa State Governor, Henry Seriake Dickson, has explained the reasons behind his decision not to join the African Democratic Congress (ADC), while also commenting on the defection of his predecessor to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Dickson spoke with journalists during the unveiling of his newly formed political platform, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), where he outlined the principles guiding his political choices.

According to him, his political philosophy is rooted in national development, institutional reform, and a commitment to governance driven by clear ideas rather than party convenience.

Addressing questions about why he declined to join the ADC, Dickson said he holds the party’s leadership in high regard but believes that political affiliation must be guided by well-defined priorities.

“I have great respect for the leaders of the ADC. They have contributed to Nigeria’s multi-party democracy. However, joining a party is not about convenience or simply positioning oneself in opposition politics. It must be based on principles and a clear agenda for governance,” he said.

He stressed that any political platform he associates with must demonstrate a strong commitment to national security, education, healthcare, devolution of powers, youth and women empowerment, and the protection of citizens’ rights.

According to him, the ADC, despite its contributions to Nigeria’s democratic space, does not provide the level of clarity he seeks in those areas.

Dickson said the Nigeria Democratic Congress was established to promote a broader national vision focused on strengthening democratic institutions and ensuring inclusive governance.

“The NDC is pan-Nigerian. Our goal goes beyond winning elections. We want to build institutions that serve all Nigerians, respect the country’s diversity, and ensure leadership that is accountable and visionary,” he said.

He added that the party would provide a platform for capable Nigerians from all regions of the country who share a commitment to national development and inclusive leadership.

Speaking on the recent defection of his successor in Bayelsa politics to the APC, Dickson maintained a philosophical tone, noting that individuals are free to make their own political decisions.

“I guided and mentored him during his tenure, but everyone must follow their own path. How individuals exercise the authority and responsibility given to them is ultimately between them and God,” he said.

While noting that he would have preferred continuity in principle-driven governance, the former governor acknowledged that political realignments are common in Nigeria.

“Politics is dynamic. People make choices based on their convictions and circumstances, and my focus remains on stability, peace, and the building of enduring institutions,” he added.

Dickson also addressed concerns about internal party cohesion, explaining that the NDC has put structures in place to ensure transparency and prevent factional divisions.

“We have established mechanisms that promote inclusivity and transparency. Our objective is to build a party where credible leaders can emerge, where elections are fair, and where citizens truly believe that their votes count. This is not a short-term strategy but a long-term commitment,” he said.

Reaffirming his decision not to join the ADC, Dickson emphasised that his political history has always been driven by loyalty to ideas rather than political expediency.

“My history has always been about loyalty to ideas, not convenience. I cannot belong to a party whose vision is unclear or whose priorities do not align with the urgent needs of Nigeria,” he stated.

He explained that the NDC would prioritise federalism, accountability, and investment in human capital as central pillars of its governance agenda.

Reflecting on his leadership style, Dickson said tolerance, discipline, and inclusion remain key elements of his political philosophy.

“In Bayelsa, we showed that principled politics works. Whether mentoring successors, collaborating with colleagues, or building institutions, my focus has always been on strengthening systems rather than promoting personalities,” he said.

He concluded by expressing optimism about Nigeria’s political future, noting that the NDC aims to attract competent leaders from across the country and promote policies that respect diversity, equity, and democratic values.

According to him, the party’s mission is to reshape political engagement in Nigeria by strengthening institutions, promoting credible elections, and advancing policies that support long-term national development.

By Dr. Malachy Chuma Ochie

As the political temperature gradually rises ahead of the 2027 elections, conversations across Nigeria’s political landscape are intensifying. In many states, the opposition senses opportunity.

Yet in Enugu State, the story appears remarkably different. The question increasingly echoing in political circles is simple: who can truly dare Governor Peter Mbah?

Since assuming office in 2023, Mbah has pursued governance with an urgency that has surprised even his critics.

In a relatively short period, his administration has set an ambitious development tone, one that has rapidly begun to reshape the political narrative of the state.

At the heart of his agenda lies a bold economic vision, and that is to transform Enugu into a $30-billion economy and more.

While such a target initially sounded aspirational, the governor’s aggressive policy direction, spanning infrastructure, education, security, agriculture, and digital innovation, has lent credibility to that vision.

Perhaps the most visible symbol of his governance reforms is the sweeping overhaul of the education sector.

The Smart Schools initiative, designed to embed digital learning and modern teaching methods into public education, signals a commitment to preparing the youths of Enugu State for a competitive global economy.

Infrastructure development has also been relentless. Road construction and urban renewal projects have expanded mobility and stimulated commercial activity across the state.

Simultaneously, the administration’s push for enhanced security architecture has strengthened public confidence; encouraging investment and restoring faith in government.

In agriculture, the government has begun repositioning the sector as a serious economic driver rather than a subsistence activity.

By opening up farm clusters, attracting agri-business investment, and empowering rural communities, the administration aims to transform agriculture into a pillar of economic growth.

These achievements have inevitably altered the political equation in Enugu State.

For the opposition, the challenge is not merely to criticize but to present a credible alternative to a government that has already established a strong performance narrative.

Politics, of course, remains unpredictable. Alliances shift, sentiments evolve, and electoral contests can produce surprises.

Yet as 2027 approaches, one fact stands out: Governor Peter Mbah has placed performance squarely at the center of Enugu’s politics.

And in a political environment where results increasingly speak louder than rhetoric, the real question may not simply be who will challenge him, but who can convincingly out-perform him. Without sounding immodest, I am yet to see that person. Gov. Peter Mbah remains the code for Enugu State.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the posting of 65 ambassadors-designate to Nigerian diplomatic missions across the world, including key positions at the United Nations, as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s diplomatic engagement and global representation.

The ambassadorial list comprises 31 non-career ambassadors and 34 career diplomats. Their nominations were earlier submitted by the President in November 2025 and subsequently confirmed by the Senate in December after screening.

In a statement released on Friday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, several prominent political figures and former public office holders were assigned to major foreign missions.

Among those posted is former presidential aide Reno Omokri, who will serve as Nigeria’s ambassador to Mexico.

Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, has been assigned to Germany.

Former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, has been posted to Qatar, while Senator Ita Enang will represent Nigeria in South Africa.

Also on the list is former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Iba, who has been deployed to the Philippines, while Florence Ajimobi, widow of a former Oyo State governor, will serve as Nigeria’s ambassador to Austria.

Other notable non-career appointments include Aminu Dalhatu as Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Lateef Kayode Are as ambassador to the United States, and Ayodele Oke as ambassador to France.

Further appointments include former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau, who has been posted to China; former Lagos State Deputy Governor Olufemi Pedro to Australia; Isaak Adewole to Canada; and Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, who will serve as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations.

Former Abia State governor Okezie Ikpeazu has been posted to Spain, while former Enugu State governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi will serve as Nigeria’s ambassador to Greece.

Career diplomats were also deployed to various diplomatic missions across Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Americas. Among them are Nwabiola Chukwumeka to Côte d’Ivoire, Mohammed Lele to Algeria, and Ahmed Monguno to Egypt.

Others include Muhammad Dahiru to India, Haidara Idris to The Hague in the Netherlands, and Sulu Olatunji to Malaysia, among several others.

According to the presidency, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already initiated the diplomatic procedures required for the envoys’ deployment.

The government also confirmed that the United Kingdom has granted agrément for Aminu Dalhatu as High Commissioner, while France has approved Ayodele Oke as Nigeria’s ambassador.

The ministry has also forwarded the nominations of the remaining ambassadors-designate to their respective host countries for agrément, in line with international diplomatic practice.

President Tinubu has further directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to immediately commence induction programmes for the ambassadors and high commissioners before their official postings.

The appointments come after several months of diplomatic vacancies, which analysts had previously warned were creating gaps in Nigeria’s foreign representation and international engagements.

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has granted bail to former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, alongside his wife, Asabe Bashir, and their son, Abdulaziz Malami, over allegations of financial crimes involving more than N8.1 billion.

The trial judge, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, granted each of the defendants bail in the sum of N200 million with two sureties in like sum.
.

As part of the bail conditions, the court ordered that one of the sureties must present title documents of a property located in either Maitama or Asokoro in Abuja.

The court also directed the defendants to surrender their international passports to the court.

Justice Abdulmalik further ruled that the defendants should remain in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) until they meet the bail requirements.

The trio were re-arraigned on Friday following the reassignment of the case to Justice Abdulmalik.

In the 16-count charge filed against them, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alleged that Malami, his wife, and their son conspired to launder proceeds of unlawful activities between 2015 and 2025.

According to the anti-graft agency, the defendants allegedly used several bank accounts and corporate entities to conceal the source and ownership of funds amounting to over N8.1 billion.

The EFCC further alleged that large sums of money were moved through companies reportedly linked to the Malami family, including Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited and Meethaq Hotels Limited, with transactions conducted through multiple commercial banks.

Investigators claimed that the funds were structured in ways designed to disguise their origin and evade regulatory scrutiny.

Part of the money, including about N600 million, was allegedly kept as cash collateral for bank facilities, despite the defendants allegedly knowing or having reason to suspect that the funds were proceeds of unlawful activities.

The EFCC also accused the defendants of using the funds to purchase high-value residential and commercial properties across Abuja, Kano, and Kebbi states, either directly or through proxies, in order to conceal the true ownership of the assets.

According to the commission, the defendants carried out a series of financial transactions and corporate arrangements aimed at retaining control of illicit funds while disguising their source and beneficial ownership.

A federal government investigative panel has confirmed that the immediate past Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, forged a degree certificate purportedly obtained from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).

The seven-member panel, set up by the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, was constituted on 23 November 2025 following a petition submitted by Nnaji in response to an earlier investigative report that questioned the authenticity of his academic credentials.

The panel submitted its report to the Minister of Education in December 2025 after conducting a detailed investigation that included document reviews, interviews, and verification of university records.

According to the report, investigators visited the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where they met with key officials and examined relevant institutional documents and archives.

Among those interviewed during the investigation were the university’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Simon Ortuanya; a former Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Oguejiofor Ujam; the Registrar, Celine Nnebedum; as well as staff members responsible for managing academic records.

The panel said it inspected Nnaji’s academic file and reviewed internal correspondence, registry movement logs, Senate-approved graduation lists, convocation records, electronic access logs, and other relevant documentation.

Members of the panel arrived in Nsukka on 23 November 2025 and formally notified the Vice-Chancellor of the purpose of their visit before commencing the investigation.

Findings of the panel revealed that although Nnaji was admitted into the university in the 1981/82 academic session to study Biological Sciences, he did not graduate from the institution.

The panel said its review of the Senate-approved graduation list for the 1985 set showed that Nnaji’s name was not included among the graduating students.

Investigators also examined several correspondences dated between November 1985 and May 1986 exchanged between Nnaji and the university’s Registry Department concerning a failed course, MCB 431 (Virology).

In one of the documents, a handwritten letter dated 19 May 1986 titled “Application to take course 431AB in September,” Nnaji reportedly explained that he was unable to sit for the examination scheduled for April 21, 1986 due to illness and attached a medical report to support the claim.

However, the panel said it could not find any record showing that Nnaji eventually retook or passed the failed course.

The investigators therefore questioned how he came to possess a certificate dated July 1985, which he had earlier submitted to President Bola Tinubu during his ministerial appointment and to the National Assembly during his confirmation process.

The panel’s findings align with earlier investigative reports which had indicated that the former minister forged both his university degree certificate and his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate.
Background to the controversy dates back to October 2023 when journalists began investigating the authenticity of Nnaji’s academic credentials.

During his ministerial screening and confirmation in 2023, Nnaji presented documents claiming that he graduated from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 1985.

Amid growing scrutiny, the former minister filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja seeking to restrain the university and its Vice-Chancellor from releasing his academic records.

Defendants in the suit included the University of Nigeria, Nsukka; its Vice-Chancellor; the Minister of Education; the National Universities Commission (NUC); the university’s registrar; a former acting vice-chancellor; and the university senate.

Before any court order was issued, however, the UNN Vice-Chancellor responded to a Freedom of Information request confirming that Nnaji did not graduate from the institution.

The university’s registrar later issued a separate confirmation stating that although Nnaji was admitted in 1981, he neither completed the programme nor received a degree certificate.

Authorities of the National Youth Service Corps also reportedly disowned the NYSC discharge certificate presented by the former minister.

Following the publication of the investigation exposing the alleged forgery, Nnaji resigned from his position as minister three days later.

Despite his resignation, several Nigerians have continued to call for his prosecution, arguing that stepping down from office was not sufficient given the seriousness of the allegations.

A legal practitioner, Liborous Oshoma, recently criticised the federal government for failing to prosecute the former minister, insisting that individuals found guilty of certificate forgery should face legal consequences and be barred from holding public office.

Meanwhile, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has commenced an investigation into the forgery allegations.

Sources familiar with the probe say the former minister could face prosecution if the ongoing investigation establishes that he falsified his academic credentials.

Senator representing Bayelsa West, Seriake Dickson, has announced his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and his decision to join the newly registered Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).

Dickson, a former governor of Bayelsa State, made the announcement on Thursday during a media briefing in Abuja, citing deepening internal divisions within the PDP as the primary reason for his defection.

According to him, the persistent leadership crisis and factional struggles within the party have significantly weakened its structure and reduced its capacity to function as an effective opposition.

He noted that the internal disagreements had gradually narrowed what was once regarded as the PDP’s broad political platform, leaving many members dissatisfied and uncertain about the party’s direction.

Dickson also criticised what he described as the party’s silence on major national issues, arguing that the ongoing leadership disputes have undermined its ability to provide strong and credible opposition.

“PDP has lost its voice on national issues,” he said, attributing the development to prolonged internal wrangling among party leaders.
The senator, however, expressed confidence in the prospects of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, which was recently registered by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

He described the new political platform as one that could help rebuild a vibrant and credible opposition capable of addressing the country’s political and governance challenges.

Dickson therefore urged Nigerians who desire a new political direction to support the party by registering as members and actively participating in its activities.

He stressed that broad national participation would be essential in shaping the party’s future and building a stronger democratic system in the country.