It would be a tough game for the political gladiators planning to occupy Bayelsa state Government House as there appears to be some hurdles before the politically perceived mighty. JOY EMMANUEL writes.
The contest leading to the election of the occupier of the Bayelsa state Government House later this year is becoming increasingly stiffer and intriguing.
As at the last count, over a dozens of political bigwigs have picked the nomination and expression of interest forms for the governorship seat on the platform of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) alone.
The contenders
Among the aspirants in the PDP jostling to succeed Gov Seriake Dickson are the current deputy governor, Rear Admiral Gboribiogh John Jonah (rtd); secretary to the state government, (SSG) Kemela Okara, Dickson’s chief of staff, Talford Ongolo, the recently-elected senator representing Bayelsa Central Hon Douye Diri Pastor Keniebi Okoko, Dr Franklin Osaisai, Chief Timi Alaibe, Mr Reuben Okoya, Joshua Macaiver.
Others are Friday Kombowei Benson, Mr Fred Agbedi, Chief Benson Agadaga, Dr Boladei Igali, and Udengs Eradiri.
Although Gov Dickson appeared to be enjoying the emerging political drama having allegedly encouraged some of these political allies to obtain the nomination forms, sources within the party and in the government circle said the outgoing governor, in reality, is worried about the number of the aspirants especially with almost all his men in the ring.
Blueprint gathered that managing the fall-out of this scenario is indeed the big headache for the governor at the moment.
A chieftain of PDP said the development could polarise Dickson’s camp ahead of the party primaries and the governorship poll in November.
A source hinted that the governor is concerned about the matter despite his usual mien of talking tough in public. As it is at the moment, it is uncertain who he has decided to anoint as successor as is usually the norm among outgoing governors in the country.
However, investigation reveals that it is most likely for Dickson to choose from the trio of Kamela Okara the present SSG, Talford Ongolo and Hon Douye Diri who is also the preferred candidate of the restoration caucus.
Restoration team in disarray?
A reliable source told Blueprint that the deputy governor decided to get into the race against the wish of his master; therefore, he felt dishonored not to have been given the right of first refusal. It is therefore obvious that other members of the restoration team have defied the agreement and went ahead pick the nomination form in preparation for the primary slated for September 3.
However, Bayelsans are of the opinion that unless Gov Dickson should conduct private investigations on the marketability of the three aspirants as his decision might cause hoax and the party must not jeopardise its strength by this unpopular decision.
“The rising protests and issues against the three aspirants are described mostly as tight fist, unpopular, without the goodwill and general public view about them. It is basically the lack of charity on those individuals for which Mr governor may need to feel the pulse of the people,” says an insider who did not want to be named.
Checks revealed that most the executives and legislatures in the state are in support of the deputy governor’s ambition for which many of them have begun to pledge their loyalty and support.
Indeed, the political actors are grabbing every available opportunity to up their game towards the emergence of the PDP flag bearer in the state. Sources confirmed to Blueprint that the restoration engine room may have jettisoned the initial plan to field the present SSG and settle for Diri as the preferred candidate, just as he was accompanied by key members of the party’s political class in the state.
lt was gathered that the deputy governor decided to get into the race against the governors wish because he felt he ought to have been given the right of first refusal.
He’s decisions to run, pundits say may create some cracks on the restoration walls.
However, the deputy governor, while picking up the PDP form at the Wadada House in Abuja recently, in his characteristic manner of protecting his boss, denied any cracks in the restoration team, stating that his decision to succeed his boss was borne out of his developmental quest, adding that he won’t deviate from the restoration agenda.
“There is no crack, if there is anything, there is cohesion within the restoration family. People were expecting that by this time, the governor will bring one candidate and say this is my candidate and, in fact, they are speculating that others would not be allowed to show interest and they will be forced to just withdraw.
“That could have brought cracks but in the thinking of the administration collectively, we have to note that it is not just the governor, we felt that those that have interest and with capacity to administer the state should show interest and we proceed from there.
“Secondly, if somebody is sponsoring from outside to destabilise the cohesion within the restoration administration, I don’t think some of us are aware of anything like that. That hasn’t come to our notice. We have a way of resolving differences within the restoration administration in-house, that is very, very unlikely.
“But know that we must have different ways of solving the situation. Certainly, you don’t expect everybody to be happy even if we are brothers, we may have separate ambition and have different ways to go about it but for now that isn’t to my knowledge,” he said.
