Seriake Dickson to host old guard of alliance for democracy

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…Former AD NEC, NWC members, others to attend Abuja reunion

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By Henry Umoru

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ABUJA — Ahead of the 2027 general elections and amid ongoing political alignments and realignments, former Bayelsa State Governor and Senator representing Bayelsa West, Seriake Dickson, is set to host former leaders and members of the Alliance for Democracy, AD, in Abuja.

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The gathering, tagged “Epochal Homecoming Reunion of the Old Guard Alliance for Democracy under the aegis of the Nigeria Democratic Congress,” is scheduled to hold on Saturday at Dickson’s Abuja residence.

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It has as its theme, “Reclaiming Our Moral Mandate: A National Democratic Conversation for a Reborn Polity.”

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Dickson, who was the founding State Chairman of the Alliance for Democracy in Bayelsa State, is the Chief Host of the event.

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Chief Michael Odurinde, a former Senior Special Adviser to the late Pa Ayo Adebanjo, an Afenifere leader and founding father of the Alliance for Democracy, is expected to serve as the Father of the Day.

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The event is expected to bring together former members of the National Executive Committee, NEC, and National Working Committee, NWC, of the AD, alongside other prominent members and associates of the party.

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Among those expected at the gathering are former AD Senatorial candidate and leader of the party’s Northern Caucus, Dr Manzo Abubakar; Ambassador Mamman Yusuf; Comrade Usman Adamu Song; and Professor Udenta Udenta, the first National Secretary of the Alliance for Democracy.

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Other political leaders, intellectuals and pro-democracy activists from the six geopolitical zones are also expected to attend.

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In a statement issued on Friday on behalf of the Convening Committee of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Dr Manzo said the gathering would provide a platform for a national democratic conversation on the state of the country’s democracy.

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According to him, the meeting is aimed at positively influencing the tone of political discourse, interrogating the current democratic dispensation and developing strategic ideas towards achieving credible, people-centred and electorally sustainable outcomes.

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He said the gathering would provide an opportunity for participants to “harmonise experience with vision, memory with mandate and legacy with responsibility.”

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The statement described the reunion as more than a nostalgic gathering of former political associates, saying it was intended to revive the democratic ideals associated with the Alliance for Democracy.

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“This convocation is neither nostalgia nor pageantry. It is a deliberate act of political reclamation,” the statement said.

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It added that the gathering was based on the conviction that the Alliance for Democracy, which emerged from the pro-democracy struggle of the Fourth Republic, retained an important role in discussions on Nigeria’s democratic development.

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“In an age of transactional politics and eroded ideology, we must return to first principles and chart a credible, electorally resourceful pathway for the nation,” the statement said.

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The organisers said the meeting would also examine the challenges confronting the current political system and explore ways of contributing to a more credible and people-oriented democratic process ahead of the 2027 elections.

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They urged participants to move beyond criticism and develop practical ideas for strengthening the country’s democratic institutions.

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“Let this be the moment we move from commentary to construction, from lamentation to leadership,” the statement added.

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The organisers described the event as an opportunity for former members of the AD and other democrats to reconnect, share experiences and discuss the future direction of Nigeria’s political development.

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