Former Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson and the state’s Deputy Governor, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, are reportedly considering defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) due to growing instability within the opposition party.
The move follows Governor Douye Diri’s defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on November 3, a step neither Dickson nor Ewhrudjakpo took. Instead, both are now in talks with the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which is seen as a potential platform for Dickson’s Senate re-election bid and Ewhrudjakpo’s expected gubernatorial ambition.
Sources indicate the defection rumor holds “some element of truth.” Dickson is said to have existing political ties to the ADC and has allegedly influenced some appointments within the party’s state structure.
However, one source cautioned that the ADC currently lacks significant electoral strength in Bayelsa, suggesting a move to the APC would be more strategic.
Dickson, who backed Ewhrudjakpo’s rise to become deputy governor, had previously warned Governor Diri against joining the APC.
With Dickson’s own path to a third Senate term under the PDP now uncertain, the ADC is viewed as a potential alternative, given his personal political structure and resources in his district.
Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.
Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.
He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.
Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).
He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.
He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.
Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled: Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.
