By Gesikeme Akparakata.
YENAGOA, BAYELSA STATE – In the rough and tumble of Nigerian politics, where principles are often traded for convenience and courage is a scarce commodity, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson stands tall — unshaken, unbroken, and unbowed. While detractors scheme and whisper in dark corners, attempting to dim the light of one of the Ijaw Nation’s most fearless voices, the facts remain stubborn: Dickson remains the best advocate the Ijaw people have in Nigeria’s democratic space today. He has faced the storms, taken the hits, and still emerges speaking truth to power without apology. In a Senate where many have chosen silence over service, Dickson’s voice continues to echo with conviction, defending Ijaw interest, constitutional order, and the soul of our democracy.
The Measure of a Man.
Leadership is not tested in times of peace, but in moments of pressure. Since returning to the Senate, Dickson has been subjected to coordinated attacks — some political, some personal, many sponsored. His “crime”? Refusing to bend. Refusing to join the chorus of political praise singers who mortgage the Niger Delta’s future for a seat at the table. From the Petroleum Industry Act to the debates on restructuring, state police, and resource control, Dickson has consistently taken positions that put Ijaw and Niger Delta interest first, even when it costs him friendships in high places.
Detractors call him stubborn. The Ijaw Nation calls him principled. They say he is too outspoken. History says the voiceless need someone who will not be gagged. In a democracy, the real danger is not the man who speaks; it is the silence that follows when good men are forced out.
The Kabe-ama, Ebeni Misleading Foolery
The latest smear comes in the form of a video making the rounds on social media, accusing former Governor Sen. Henry Seriake Dickson of abandoning the Kabe ama and Ebeni road project. At first glance, many believed it — until facts were presented. To set the record straight, the _Save the Niger Delta Initiative_ embarked on a fact-finding trip to the site. What did they find? Workers on ground. Equipment active. The project very much alive.
More importantly, history matters. The Kabe ama / Ebeni road project was first initiated by Sen. Dickson himself as Governor, out of empathy for the people of Okumbiri, Kabe ama, Amatolo, Toru Ebeni and neighbouring communities. Under his administration, the contractor HNG LTD was sent to start work immediately by clearing the thick forest, sand-filled the route, and gave the project a visible face. But due to the harsh economic climate at the time, the government had to pause.That pause ended when Governor Douye Diri — whom Dickson fully supported and helped to power — revalidated the contract to at the sum of ₦77 billion, with ₦7 billion already mobilized to the contractor. Work is in progress. That is the truth.
It is therefore mischievous, and indeed a disservice to the public, for political jobbers to twist this narrative and paint a development-driven leader as negligent. To us, it is wrong to slander a good man whose intentions have always been pure and whose record of projects across Bayelsa State remains unmatched. From signature infrastructure to the unity of the Ijaw people, Sen. Dickson’s legacy speaks. It is a pity some have chosen to throw such facts to the wind.
Why He Remains the Best
1. Intellectual Depth: A former Attorney General and two-term Governor, Dickson brings legal scholarship and executive experience to every debate. He does not just oppose — he proposes, with bills and motions grounded in law and history.
2. Moral Consistency: From Yenagoa to Abuja, his message has not changed. True federalism. Environmental justice. An end to the economic strangulation of the Niger Delta.
3. National Stature: Detractors fear him because he cannot be ignored. When Dickson speaks on the floor, Nigeria listens. That is influence you cannot buy, and it is influence the Ijaw Nation needs.
4. Bridge, Not Island: Though Ijaw to the core, Dickson has built alliances across the North, South-West, and South-East. He understands that Ijaw progress depends on strategic engagement, not isolation.
Conclusion: The Choice Before Ijaw Nation.
Politics will always have rivals, but the Ijaw Nation must distinguish between rivalry and sabotage. To replace Dickson now is to surrender our loudest voice at the very moment Nigeria’s democracy is being reshaped. Senator Henry Seriake Dickson remains the best — not because he is perfect, but because he is present, prepared, and uncompromising when it matters. Unbowed by detractors, he continues to carry the burden of a people whose oil lights the nation but whose communities remain in darkness.
The Ijaw Nation does not need a bench warmer, like we have them in the senate. Some not talking at all, and if they do, we see them mocking the sensibility of the Ijaw man that Bayelsa State is sharing a boundary with America. Afraid the Ijaw Nation can’t afford to lose a voice at this critical time of our national politics. We need to protect the one that still speaks for us.
— Gesikeme Akparakata is the President of Save the Niger Delta Initiative
