By Ajiri Daniels
Former Governor and serving Senator, Henry Seriake Dickson, has issued a searing indictment of Nigeria’s political elite, accusing them of systematically destroying the nation’s democracy and institutions in a powerful speech delivered at a one-day workshop organized by the Nigeria Civil Society's Alliance for Democratic Change (NCSADC) in Abuja.
Speaking on the theme “Safeguarding Nigeria’s Democracy Through Unity and Resolve,” Senator Dickson warned that Nigeria’s political class is “unknowingly committing class suicide,” asserting that their actions have not only weakened the nation's democratic institutions but are pushing the country further into crisis.
“The Nigerian political class has killed this country, and you guys [civil society] should not let it happen,” Dickson declared. “They are killing Nigeria; they are making this country look small.”
He criticized the widespread practice of party defections, where politicians switch allegiances for personal gain, often abandoning the parties that gave them electoral mandates. He also expressed frustration with the subversion of institutions like the judiciary and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), accusing politicians of manipulating them to rig elections and silence opposition.
“Our own democracy is the wishes and caprices of the president or a governor… They don’t even care how the world looks at Nigeria,” he said, lamenting what he described as a deep disregard for constitutionalism and democratic norms.
The Senator from Bayelsa State didn't spare the judiciary, describing it as “helpless” and often reduced to reading “body language” instead of interpreting the law. According to him, court rulings have become predictable tools in the hands of those who control power.
Dickson further accused the ruling political elite of abusing federal institutions for electoral gain, using security operatives, soldiers, and the police to intimidate, harass, or even kill civilians during elections.
“They want to control INEC, they want results written for them. They use DSS, police, and the army, not to protect the people but to kill and suppress them during elections,” he said. “That is the hallmark of a failed country.”
Highlighting the growing disconnect between elected officials and the people, Dickson said many Nigerian politicians no longer relate with their constituents, nor do they feel accountable to them.
“They don’t even take calls from their people. Their homes are too big, too beautiful. Their people can’t even access them,” he lamented. “They know they don’t need the people to win elections. The system allows them to impose themselves.”
He charged civil society groups with the responsibility of holding the political class accountable, urging them to rise and defend democracy from total collapse.
“If a political class does not believe in free and fair elections, in the rule of law, in an impartial judiciary, then they are not just destroying the country, they are destroying themselves. That’s class suicide.”
Senator Dickson’s speech struck a chord with many participants, who applauded his candour and warned that Nigeria’s democracy faces a critical test unless immediate reforms are made to restore integrity to the electoral and judicial systems.
The workshop brought together civil society leaders, activists, and academics from across the country, all united by a shared concern over the shrinking democratic space in Nigeria.
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