By Naomi Sharang
Sen. Seriake Dickson, National Leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), on Friday formally received defectors from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Labour Party (LP) in the FCT.
Dickson, who represents Bayelsa West in the Senate, said the growing influx of defectors signalled a widening political realignment across the country.
He made the remark while addressing newsmen after the reception in Abuja.
The former Bayelsa governor confirmed that the entire leadership structure of the SDP in the FCT had collapsed into the NDC, describing the development as both symbolic and strategic.
“The state chairman, the FCT chairman of SDP and its entire structure, including executives, local government and ward chairmen, have all joined and have been fully integrated into the party,” he said.
Dickson added that the development was not isolated to the FCT, but part of a broader national shift.
“What you are seeing in the FCT is happening in other states. At the right time, Nigerians will know. This is not a regional movement; it is national,” he said.
He said the NDC was built on inclusivity and national cohesion, offering a platform free from ethnic, religious or regional bias.
“This movement is for all Nigerians, without discrimination. We seek a new Nigeria driven by service, unity, development and peace.
“Power is good, but it must be for service,” he added.
The event also featured the formal defection of a prominent Abuja politician, Amanda Pam, whose entry into the NDC drew enthusiastic reactions from party members.
Pam, a former Deputy National Legal Adviser of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said her decision followed wide consultations with stakeholders across Abuja.
“I have served this country in different capacities. We have consulted widely on the need to join the NDC, and many believe it offers the right direction,” she said.
She highlighted her contributions to healthcare development in the FCT during her tenure as Mandate Secretary on Health.
“I built several hospitals and rural health centres across the FCT,” she said.
Pam expressed confidence in the party’s electoral prospects, saying Abuja voters were ready for change.
“If you give this party to us, you will be overwhelmed. Voters in Abuja know who they want,” she said.
Earlier, the NDC FCT leader, Alhaji Haruna Pai, described Pam as a formidable grassroots mobiliser with longstanding political influence in the territory.
“She is a well-known politician in Abuja. She was a bulldozer, and we expect her to bring that strength to the NDC,” he said. (NAN) www.nannews.ng
NNL/TAK
Edited by Tosin Kolade
