The political landscape in Bayelsa witnessed a significant shift on Wednesday as the State Commissioner for Special Duties, Hon. Michael Magbisa, resigned his membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and defected to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), alongside over 5,000 supporters.
The development was disclosed by the National Leader of the NDC, Senator Seriake Dickson, in a Facebook post, where he described the defection as part of a growing wave of support for the party across the country.
Magbisa was formally received into the NDC by the Bayelsa State Chairman of the party, Hon. Dauprebo Ikuromo, and members of the State Executive Committee.
Dickson commended the former commissioner for what he described as his confidence in the vision of the NDC, while also praising the state leadership of the party for strengthening its grassroots presence.
“This massive decamping in Bayelsa is a clear indication of the growing confidence Nigerians have in the NDC,” Dickson said, adding that similar political realignments were occurring in other states of the federation.
He expressed optimism that the party would be well-positioned to contest and win elective offices in the 2027 general elections, noting that the NDC was rapidly emerging as a major political force to reckon with.
The former Bayelsa governor also revealed that he had earlier in the day held a series of strategic meetings with party stakeholders and political leaders from across the country.
Among them was the NDC National Vice Chairman (North-Central), Chief Barnabas Ejisi, who led a delegation of state chairmen from the zone following a consultative meeting. Dickson commended their efforts in building party structures and urged them to sustain the momentum.
In a further indication of the party’s expanding reach, Dickson disclosed that several prominent political figures from other parties had also joined the NDC.
These include Dr. Sidi Abdul Bomi Gulu, a former stalwart of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Niger State, and Hon. Philip Johnson, a former governorship aspirant of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in Taraba State, both of whom joined NDC with their supporters.
He said delegations from Kogi, Niger, and Taraba States, comprising aspirants and grassroots leaders, had also paid courtesy visits to align with the party and contribute to its growth.
Dickson described the NDC as a pan-Nigerian ideological political party gaining traction nationwide and urged Nigerians to take advantage of its ongoing membership registration drive.
“We are witnessing a steady and encouraging build-up across the federation. I call on all Nigerians to join the NDC as we work together to rescue the nation and strengthen our democracy,” he said.
The latest defections come amid increasing political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections, with parties intensifying grassroots mobilization and strategic alliances across the country.
