In Bayelsa, PDP, APC Governorship Candidates Emerge from Process Shrouded in Secrecy
Emmanuel Addeh writes that the recent selection process for governorship candidates of the two major political parties, Peoples Democratic Party and All Progressives Congress governorship primaries in Bayelsa State were characterized by intriguing drama
Alaibe, a former Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission and Chief Fred Agbedi approached the court to bar the ad-hoc delegates from partaking in the primaries. Having thrown out the two cases and a third, it set the mood for what would turn out a not-so-epic battle to find the standard bearer of the APC and of course, a long night of waiting for the PDP delegates’ decision.
“His excellency, Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State, who is the returning officer for the Bayelsa 2019 governorship election wishes members of the party and the general public to note that the primary election has been postponed.” Diri, who hails from Kolokuma/Opokuma local government, emerged with 561 votes to defeat his closest rival, Alaibe, his kinsman and former Niger Delta Development Commission Managing Director, who polled 365 votes.
Others were: Benson Agadaga, National President of the Ogbia Brotherhood, 3 votes; Reuben Okoya , an architect, 19 votes; Godknows Igali, a former Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Power, 4 votes; Senator Emmanuel Paulker, 2 votes; Robinson Etolo, 4 votes and Nimibofa Ayawei, erstwhile Chairman of the Bayelsa Board of Internal Revenue, 7 votes.
Dickson kept his preferred governorship hopeful to his chest until less than 24 hours to the poll when each of the eight local government areas took turn in a dramatic manner to endorse their man for the top job in eight locations in the state capital. It then became obvious the direction the governor was driving, although he never officially mentioned it.
The meeting was also attended by the Chairman, Kolokuma/ Opokuma Local Government Area, Deinye Obaragu, the former Chairmen of the Council, and Wisdom Fafi, who represents the area in the Bayelsa State House of Assembly. Others present during the event were Joseph Akedesoh, former Director of Protocol Government House; Commissioner for Agriculture, Doodei Week; Kia Nigeria, Chairman, Southern Ijaw and several others.
But it was also a day the Chairman of the PDP, in Bayelsa, Mr. Moses Cleopas, came under severe criticism after he openly accused two prominent aspirants, Mr. Okoko and Alaibe of sending fake alerts to some unnamed delegates to the party primaries in the state. It was clear after the sorting of the ballot papers who the likely winner was as the candidates began to leave the venue, the Gabriel Okara Cultural Centre, in droves.
“ I am bringing my over 30 years’ experience in both private and public service to the fore in this leadership journey and I can assure you that I am prepared to give practical leadership to the state. We will be committed to the vision and collective aspirations of our founding fathers to building more infrastructure, create wealth and economic prosperity for our people,” he said.
Noting that there was ‘crass disrespect for legal procedures and party guidelines’, Alaibe argued that although a winner had been declared, the victory did not represent the voice of the people. The former Niger Delta Development Commission Managing Director, said despite the fact that he chose to run a decent campaign in line with the constitution of the PDP and the laws of Nigeria, it was unbelievable the depth of desperation and deadly manoeuvring that he along with his team encountered.
“The election of Ad-Hoc delegates is one of such matters. Strangely, the panel set up to undertake this exercise simply imposed on us a list of electoral and returning officers prepared by the state officers of the party who are avowed members of the orchestrated Restoration Team. Thus, the process was deliberately handed over to the Restoration Team. Our protest was ignored.
“In the circumstances, we express our serious reservations about the process that led to the primary for its unconstitutionality and its outcome completely unacceptable because of its illegitimacy. However; we must move on” he said. “Being relatively new in politics, I can in all modesty state that my team and I haven’t done badly, coming third in the race before and far more experienced people in the politics of Bayelsa.
“In this regard, I have decided to fully support the winner of the PDP primaries, Senator Diri in the interest of Bayelsa and the PDP and to work for his victory in the November 16 governorship election. We cannot afford to lose this state to the opposition,” he said.For the APC, before the primaries, Lokpobiri had argued that given the terrain of the state and likely malpractices associated with direct primaries, the party should adopt the indirect method.
Alas, his ambition to govern the state could not be realised as Mr. David Lyon, a little-known contractor in the oil and gas industry, emerged after the Governor Mai Mala Buni-led electoral committee announced the results in Yenagoa. Preye Aganaba also scored 354 votes, Mr. Amgbare polled 633 votes while Prof. Maureen Etebu polled 564 votes.
Lokpobiri, said there was no way he would be defeated in any election in Bayelsa by Lyon, adding that the majority members of the APC were supporting him. He expressed the hope that the national leadership of the party would look into the development in Bayelsa and ensure a credible process that would throw up a popular candidate for the APC in the November 16 poll.
*In all, 27 gubernatorial hopefuls entered the battlefield. The PDP alone had 21, leaving the APC with six
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