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The race to the state house of Bayelsa State is gaining momentum as all interested aspirants, especially in the opposition All Progressives Congress are vying for the party ticket to contest against incumbent Governor Seriake Dickson, who has clinched the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party
| By Olu Ojewale | Sep 21, 2015 @ 01:00 GMT |
TUESDAY, September 8, was a remarkable day for members and supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Yenagoa, capital of Bayelsa State. On the day, commercial and governmental activities were brought to a standstill as Bayelsans thronged the Samson Siasia Stadium to witness the formal declaration of Governor Seriake Dickson to run for a second term in office. The governorship election is already slated for December 5.
It must have been a great day for Dickson fondly called Countryman governor because former President Goodluck Jonathan and Patience, his wife, graced the occasion, thereby putting to rest the information making the rounds that they were vehemently opposed to his second term. Jonathan has had to host some peace meetings to reconcile warring members of the PDP in the state ahead of the gubernatorial poll.
All the wrangling seemed to have been to put rest as the declaration ceremony paraded some political juggernauts of the party. Apart from the former first couple, also to lend support to Dickson were Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, chairman of the PDP Governors Forum; Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State; Kingsley Otuaro, deputy governors of Delta State; Chris Akomas, deputy governor of Abia State; Kelechi Igwe deputy governor of Ebonyi State and Yomi Awoniyi, deputy governor of Kogi State, among others.
There was no doubt that Dickson received the biggest endorsement from Jonathan, who happens to be from the state and the presence of his wife, who was given a thunderous applause when her name was mentioned.
Jonathan said though his decision to endorse the second bid of Governor Dickson had attracted reactions through bulk SMS in circulation, he would not shy away from acknowledging Dickson’s achievement which qualified him for his support. The former president said his decision was based on the four-point conviction that the incumbent governor had performed in the areas of prompt payment of workers’ salary, proper management of state resources without recourse to borrowing, improved infrastructural development and road constructions.
He said: “I have stayed in government for 16 years. I stayed with Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha for six years and stayed in the Presidency for another six years. And in all those years, I think I know much about what some state governors have done.
“I may not know all that the state governors have done and I also may not know all they have not done, but I know what pains the people. When Dickson told me that he wants to declare for second term, I said he should do it. As I said he should do it, some people were asking me questions through bulk SMS.
“But I want to tell him that I will also be here when he is presented with the flag of the party. One of the things worrying the federal government is the issue of workers’ salaries owed by the states. Dickson has done well…”
In his goodwill message, Mimiko said that the decision to call for Dickson re-election was based on noticeable development in the state, more so because he had been able to lift his people, hence, the need for him to return. “Some people are Abuja based giants and newspapers giants in terms of politics. Dickson is a man of accomplishment,” he said.
Besides, Mimiko said the All Progressive Congress, APC, should not be allowed into the PDP controlled states of the South-South.
In his endorsement speech, Alamieyeseigha described the gathering of the PDP stalwarts at the event as an indication of the victory for the party in the gubernatorial election slated for December 5. The event, he said was nothing but a pre-electoral victory celebration for the party.
On his part, Governor Dickson said that the decision to run for second term was a call for his team of administrators to re-dedicate themselves to the stability and development of the state. “Some people came here some time ago to say that the PDP is finished in Bayelsa, the gathering here today (Tuesday, September 8) shows that the PDP is in charge of the state. Of all the political offices in the state, the opposition party has only one at the state Assembly. Out of all the 105 councillors, they have none.”
He noted that from 1999 the PDP has been governing the state and would not yield the position to the opposition. “Bayelsa has no room for any other party. The other party has no message for us.
“It is not because they have a federal might behind them, but because we have you, the people of the state. The good news is that they are not on ground in the state and they are not our match,” he said.
Perhaps, fearing backlash from the party in view of the kind of support received by the incumbent governor, some of those who had planned to contest the party ticket against Dickson have started to drop their ambition. One of them is Reuben Okoya, a chieftain of the PDP. Okoya formally conceded the ticket on Wednesday, September 9, when he announced his withdrawal from the race. Okoya, who was until May 28, this year the co-ordinator, Abuja Metropolitan Management Council of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, in a statement he issued in Abuja, said his decision to withdraw from the race was informed by recent development in the state and the need to support the incumbent governor, to ensure that the PDP retained the seat.
He said considering the stakeholders’ meeting of Sunday and Dickson’s declaration of Tuesday, it had become apparent that the party was in support of the incumbent governor. “As a loyal party member I have decided to make this sacrifice to withdraw from the race in the overall interest of the PDP and the people of Bayelsa State. I will now focus my energies on ensuring that our great party is victorious on 5th December 2015,” Okoya said.
But four other aspirants appear to be unwilling to throw in the towel yet.
Governor Dickson on Thursday, September 10, appealed to the aspirants on the platform of the PDP to abide by the outcome of all the processes and respect the organs and the leadership of the party.
Dickson made the call in an interview with newsmen, shortly after participating in the screening exercise at the South-South PDP zonal office in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, ahead of the party’s primaries scheduled to take place on Thursday, September 24.
He said he regarded the four other aspirants for the party’s governorship ticket as his brothers and implored to conduct the activities of the party as a family affair. He also commended Okoya for his act of sportsmanship.
Earlier in his remarks, Hassan Kafayos, chairman of the Screening Committee of the PDP, South-South Zone, said the process of the screening exercise was credible and expressed optimism that, the PDP in Bayelsa would win the gubernatorial election in Bayelsa State considering its preparedness
Notwithstanding the aspiration of other four aspirants, analysts expressed confidence in Dickson to clinch the PDP ticket, especially with the endorsement of Jonathan and Alamieseyeseigha.
In any case, the PDP candidate will know his opponent from the APC on September 19, when the APC will hold its gubernatorial primary election. So far, no fewer than 10 aspirants have collected nomination and expression of interest forms at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja. Each aspirant had to pay N5.5 million for the forms. Only women were exempted from paying for forms.
In the race are Tonye Apraela, a female aspirant and former PDP chieftain; Timipre Sylva, former governor of the state on the platform of the PDP; Timi Alaibe, former managing director, Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC; Emmanuel Otiotio, a former ambassador and Diekivie Ikiogha, a former chief of staff to Dickson director and one-time adviser to ex-President Jonathan when he (Jonathan) was governor of Bayelsa. Others are Warman Ogoriba, a former member of the House of Representative; Austin Ogiowon, former state Housing Commissioner and Godknows Powell, former commissioner for Local Government.
The rest are Christopher Enai, former chairman of Ekeremor Local Government Council, and Clever Ikhisikpo, former senator representing Bayelsa East senatorial district.
As, perhaps, expected all the aspirants have been laying claim to be the best candidates for the state plum job. Apraela, who is also a pastor, after submitting her nomination and expression of interest forms at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, told the press on Monday, September 7, that she was not intimidated by the number of men vying for the same ticket.
While expressing gratitude to the party for issuing free forms to women, she was optimistic about winning the race even though but for the huge funds involved. “As a woman, meeting the delegates some of them were saying, madam without money you cannot do anything but I want to say that money is not everything. Let them just vote for people that are upright, people that have the heart for the people to man the state and if they do that, everybody will be affected positively in Bayelsa state,” she said.
Also addressing the press after submitting his forms, Sylva accused incumbent Governor Dickson of abandoning all the projects he initiated when he was the governor in 2012. “As at 2012, we were poised to celebrate in 2013 one year of uninterrupted power supply in Yenogoa city. I had installed turbines and there was a turbine that was 93 per cent complete when I was ousted. The outgoing government refused to commission it because they did not want me to take credit for it,” Sylva said.
The former governor said he was hoping to return to the state house to conclude the projects which were “abandoned on the altar of politics.”
Contrary to Dickson’s claim of achievement on security, Sylva alleged that the youth restiveness was still paramount in the state, saying “the era of kidnapping has returned. I experienced it in 2013 when my old uncle of 87 was kidnapped and killed. There is insecurity in the water ways of Bayelsa.”
Otiotio told newsmen that the state was in dire need of people of integrity and that is why he is offering himself to serve. He believed that his highest credential was the fact that he was a born again Christian, who would do the job of governance in the state with fear of God.
“I will introduce good governance and the proper management of the people’s resources and bring back the fear of God into governance in line with what President Muhammadu Buhari believes in,” he said.
On why he wants to be governor, Ikiogha said his civil service experience places him at best advantage as the right man to rescue Bayelsa from its current state. “If you know how government works, you’ll know that in a state, only the governor gives the direction on state matters while appointees follow directives. Some of us have been so critical that we normally disagree with the governors, that is why we’ve been able to survive in government and that is why we want 100 percent involvement, no longer an appointee where your advice don’t count,” Ikiogha said.
But John Brambaifa, a former senator, who led a group of Bayelsa people to purchase the expression form for Alaibe, said his candidate is the best suited person to lead the state after Dickson. He submitted that Alaibe as a former NNDC boss controlled about nine states under him and that given a free and fair contest, Alaibe would beat Dickson in the forthcoming governorship election in the state. He argued that Alaibe had the best track record to lead the state and that was the reason some elders and stakeholders under the aegis of the Bayelsa Change Project decided to draft him into the race. The group was said to have been responsible for the purchase of Alaibe’s form.
Brambaifa said: “We have decided to buy the form for him and present him to our people as the most favourable candidate because he will be the best to take the mantle of leadership in Bayelsa.”
On the chances of Alaibe who joined the party recently, the former senator said he had a good chance to clinch the party ticket. He argued: “The APC guideline does not stop anybody who is a member of the party from contesting an election. Even if you joined yesterday, you have the same right to contest the election as somebody who joined two years ago.
“Don’t forget that Alaibe has a track record of achievement when he was in the NDDC. At that time, he managed nine states. I don’t think one state will be a problem for him. So, we are confident that he stands the best chance to pick the APC ticket and win the election scheduled for December 5.″
Based on the current political situation, the race for the APC is going to be between Alaibe and Sylva. The former NDDC boss is regarded as a grassroots politician, who is popular among his people. He is believed to be capable of wrestling power from the incumbent governor.
Alaibe, who said he has accepted the challenge to run, said he would bring into the race a great wealth of experience. He pointed out that people of Bayelsa were tired of having accidental leaders who came to power without adequately preparing for governance. And oftentimes giving excuse about the terrain so as to deny people benefits of democracy. He said this has brought about lack of development in the state.
The former NDDC boss, who supported Dickson to defeat former Governor Silva four years ago, said his support then, was not for the incumbent governor, but for the party. He said: “I am a party man and that is what I have always been. I even have cause to step down for people by following party directives those days; so I am a party man but in spite of how we try to support them, the leopard and his skin refused to change; you cannot give what you do not have.”
Alaibe promised to provide the necessary leadership in the state if given the APC ticket.
To get the party ticket, Alaibe has Sylva to contend with. The former governor is the party leader in the state. He was once a governor of the state, meaning he is more experienced in campaigning for the seat than the former NDDC boss.
But Sylva is also facing a 50-count charge bordering on stealing and money laundering at a federal high court in Abuja. The case is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. Sylva is charged alongside Francis Okokuro, Gbenga Balogun, and Samuel Ogbuku for allegedly used three companies – Marlin Maritime Limited, Eat Catering Services Limited, and Haloween-Blue Construction and Logistics Limited to steal more than N19.2 billion from Bayelsa State coffers between 2009 and 2012.
On June 10, Justice A. R. Mohammed of the federal high court had dismissed the 42-count charge of stealing earlier brought against Sylva and his co-accused by the EFCC, with the excuse that the prosecution’s application to consolidate the charges before him, against the defendants, amounted to an abuse of court process.
The EFCC, however, faulted the ruling on the grounds that it was premature as the accused persons had not even taken any plea before the court, and subsequently filed the fresh 50 count charge at the federal high court.
The case is yet to be determined. But this is unlikely to have effects on his candidature if the party thinks that he is the best person for the job. In any case, the ticket seems to have been narrowed down to a contest between the former governor and former NDDC boss. Whoever gets the ticket among them is expected to give Dickson a good fight. But the odd at the moment favours Alaibe. But whether he can displaced the countryman governor who is currently ridding high parading his four-year accomplishment is another matter altogether.
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Tags: All Progressives Congress aspirants Austin Ogiowon Bayelsa State Bayelsans Chris Akomas Christopher Enai Clever Ikhisikpo Diekivie Ikiogha Diepreye Alamieyeseigha Electorate Emmanuel Otiotio eoples Democratic Party FCT Federal Capital Territory Francis Okokuro Gbenga Balogun Godknows Powell Goodluck Jonathan Guber Election Hassan Kafayos John Brambaifa Kelechi Igwe Kingsley Otuaro Nyesom Wike Olusegun Mimiko Options party ticket President Muhammadu Buhari Reuben Okoya Samson Siasia Stadium Samuel Ogbuku Seriake Dickson Timi Alaibe Timipre Sylva Tonye Apraela Warman Ogoriba Yomi Awoniyi
