By Henry Umoru

ABUJA — National Leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Senator Seriake Dickson, has raised the alarm over what he described as the decline of Nigeria’s political culture, calling for a return to the ideals, values and sacrifices that shaped the country’s early democratic politics.

Dickson, a former governor of Bayelsa State, spoke on Saturday at his private residence in Abuja during an epochal reunion of former leaders and associates of the Alliance for Democracy, AD.

The gathering, tagged “Epochal Homecoming Reunion of the Old Guard Alliance for Democracy”, was organised under the aegis of the NDC with the theme, “Reclaiming Our Moral Mandate: A National Democratic Conversation for a Reborn Polity.”

The event provided an opportunity for members of the political generation to reflect on their roles in Nigeria’s return to democratic rule and the principles that shaped their political activism.

Dickson said the political environment that inspired the formation of the AD was significantly different from what obtains today, stressing that political participation at the time was driven by ideology, commitment and personal sacrifice rather than financial inducements.

“At that time, nobody had money to give to anybody. Money was not the most important currency of politics at that time. What was important then was ideals, values and commitment,” he said.

The former governor, who was the founding state chairman of the AD in Bayelsa, recalled that despite its limited resources, the party successfully challenged powerful political interests and won governorship elections in all six South-West states.

“We had our Alliance for Democracy. We were winning elections — six states. The people who had money, those who controlled the establishment, the resources and the power, could not stop us,” he said.

Dickson also recalled his experience as a young activist and lawyer building the AD in Bayelsa State, noting that the party’s success was driven by grassroots mobilisation and commitment to its ideals.

“How could I, a young, loyal, idealistic ideologue and activist, lead a party against a big establishment politician in Bayelsa and yet become a senator and produce three members of the House of Assembly?” he asked.

He said members of the movement often financed party activities from their personal resources and supported candidates who could not afford electoral expenses.

“I took my chequebook. I took my cheque and paid the deposit to INEC. Yes, I gave them the deposit and cheque,” he recalled.

According to Dickson, such sacrifices were motivated by a desire to build the country rather than expectations of personal financial rewards.

“The candidates didn’t have money. They didn’t even know about it. But our joy was in building a country and winning for our people.

“Very often, when the story of Nigeria’s return to democracy and this dispensation is told, the little sacrifices that we made are conveniently left out.

“A number of people in positions of authority today are beneficiaries of the hard work and sacrifice that we all made. A number of them didn’t pay any price. You did. All of you were there,” he said.

He warned that the political legacy of the old generation must not be allowed to disappear, saying the reunion provided an opportunity to preserve their history and explore how their experience could contribute to Nigeria’s political future.

“We are here to share old memories, to recount our experiences and to remind ourselves of the journey we have taken so far,” he said.

Linking the emergence of the NDC to lessons learnt during his years in the AD, particularly the importance of selfless service, ideological consistency and team building, Dickson said the same principles guided the formation of the new political platform.

“I am learning from you all the art of selfless service, the art of sticking to values, principles and ideals, and working to build teams.

“And that’s exactly the same way we started the NDC,” he said.

Dickson also criticised the practice of politicians automatically aligning with whoever controls government, insisting that political actors should be guided by principles rather than political expediency.

“If we support what you do, we say we are supporting you. If we disagree with what you do as politicians, we speak against you. We organise against you. That is the calling of a politician,” he said.

He identified true federalism, constitutional democracy, restructuring, equitable allocation of resources and environmental justice as some of the principles that shaped the political outlook of the AD generation.

According to him, those principles should remain relevant irrespective of changes in political parties or prevailing political circumstances.

“In the spirit of the AD Alliance, we are bonded, and whenever we find ourselves, we bind together. True ideologies don’t separate. Time and circumstances can, but we find time to reconnect,” he said.

Participants at the gathering also observed a minute’s silence in honour of deceased AD leaders and other founding figures who contributed to Nigeria’s democratic struggle.

Dickson paid tribute to Professor Udenta Udenta, the party’s founding National Secretary, and other former national and state officials who contributed to the establishment of the political movement.

He said the Abuja reunion was only the beginning of a broader effort to reconnect members of the old political network.

“Today, we are taking the very first step of reconnecting ourselves,” Dickson said.

He disclosed that several former colleagues who could not attend had contacted him and requested another gathering that would bring together more members of the political generation.

“They are requesting that we have another meeting in the not-too-distant future so that more and more people can come,” he added.