Ahead of the December 5 governorship election in Bayelsa State, our correspondent reports on the gladiators and the factors that would shape the poll, expected to be keenly contested, in the home state of the ex-president Goodluck Jonathan.
Bayelsa State Governor Henry Seriake Dickson has never lived under any illusion that his reelection bid would be a smooth sail. Though small, the state presents an intriguing political spectacle. No elected governor there has been able to secure a second.
It started with Chief Diepreye Alameyeseigha, the first civilian governor of the state. Though he won a second term, he was impeached shortly after on allegations of corruption. He was succeeded by his then deputy, former president Goodluck Jonathan, who barely completed the tenure when providence shot him to national political scene as the vice president.
Chief Timipre Sylva then became governor in 2007, and after his first term, fell out with the powers that be in the state. He lost the party’s ticket for second term to the incumbent, Seriake Dickson, who was a member of the House of Representatives.
Dickson who is on the verge of completing his first term, is fighting hard to break the one term jinx in the state. His subtle campaign for second term started two years ago when he marked his second year in office anniversary. He had embarked on a ‘thank you’ visit to all the local government areas of the state, amassing chieftaincy titles and seeking the continued support of the people.
Since then, the governor has always used every opportunity available to him to make allusions to his impending battle for re-election. He has never refrained from throwing punches at imaginary political enemies.
In fact, in some circles in the state, he is seen as a pugilist who mounted the boxing ring fully kitted for a bout, even when the umpires had not yet declared a fight.
Expectedly, the harsh economic realities of the state are being attributed by some people to the governor’s style of governance. Others complain of his alleged aloofness and insensitivity since the inception of his administration.
Although Dickson may have done relatively well in the area of physical development in the state, some score him abysmally low in the area of empowerment and human capital development, if the level of poverty in the state is anything to go by.
Other factors that may count against him include the poor relationship between him and some people considered very critical to the realisation of his aspiration.
Dickson was single handedly anointed in 2012 to become governor by Jonathan in preference to other heavyweights like Chief Timi Alaibe, former managing director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Ambassador Godknows Igali, former secretary to Bayelsa State government and now permanent secretary, federal ministry of power, among others. Observers say the factors that informed his choice over others hardly exist now.
Though Dickson organised an elaborate reception for Jonathan in Bayelsa after he handed over to President Muhammadu Buhari on May 29, insiders say both Dickson and Jonathan are not in good terms.
Also, the defeat of Jonathan in the March 28 presidential election, according to analysts, would reduce his hitherto overwhelming influence in the choice of the governor of the state, particularly in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), even if his relationship with Dickson were to be cordial.
Besides, the PDP is no longer a united entity under in the state Dickson’s watch. Apparently, in his quest to gain total control of the party machinery, the governor stepped on the toes of many founding members of the party.
The state chairman of the party, Col. Sam Inokoba, has been sacked. Many other party leaders in the state have also either been sacked or suspended on thumped up charges. In recent time, many of those who made the PDP tick in the state have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The fear of losing in the November 21 governorship election has prompted a group, Network for Bayelsa People’s Forum (NBPF), to call on the PDP leadership not to field Dickson as the party’s flag bearer.
The group’s chairman, Mr Ibipa Oweiza, in a statement in Yenagoa, the state capital, alleged that Dickson has squandered the goodwill of the party, stressing that majority of the electorate are yearning for change.
The group expressed dismay with the governor’s penchant to instigate controversy, adding that: “This action has already polarised the party in the state. Recently the governor instigated a sectional leadership of the party in the state to institute investigation and probe of very senior party members, including a serving senator, Emmanuel Paulker, and the senior special assistant to the former president on domestic matters, for anti-party activities with the deliberate intention of fanning embers the of discord.”
Similarly, a socio-political group, Bayelsa Democracy and Development Initiative, (BDDI), said Dickson is not electable. It said in a statement issued in Yenagoa that the PDP might lose the governorship poll if it presents the incumbent as its candidate.
The group, coordinated by a former chief press secretary to Jonathan while he was governor, Dr. Konrad Welson, said that its position was informed by the survey it conducted recently.
The group said the survey “is as a result of what the people perceive as a failure to live up to the expectations of the people in electing Dickson in 2011, coupled with his hostile and divisive leadership style.”
Besides Dickson, other aspirants warming for the governorship race include Chief Timipre Sylva, Dickson’s predecessor, and now APC leader in the state, Chief Timi Alaibe and Waripamowei Dudafa, senior special assistant to former president Jonathan on domestic affairs.
Others are Ambassador Godknows Igali, Engr. Francis Ebite, commissioner for works under Sylva’s administration, Hon. Worman Ogoriba, a former past member of the House of Representatives, representing Kolokuma/Opokuma constituency, and Senator Emmanuel Paulker who represents Bayelsa Central in the upper chamber.
However, Sylva is said to have been asked to jettison his ambition, anoint someone and remain the leader of APC in the state. Political analysts reason that it would be difficult for Sylva to win an election in the state now given his antecedents as governor.
This development, it was gathered, informed the speculated ambition of Francis Ebite, a close ally of Sylva. Ebite however, is said to be from the southern Ijaw axis of the state that has already produced governor.
Dudafa, Alaibe and Paulker however, hail from the part of the state that has not produced a governor since it was created in 1996.
Dudafa’s name has always been touted as the anointed candidate of Mrs. Patience Jonathan. This is one of the reasons that allegedly ignited the rumoured animosity between the former first lady and Dickson, according to sources.
It is now doubtful if Dudafa would still be reckoned with, given the diminished influence of the former first family.
Alaibe is said to be consulting before throwing his hat in the rig. Since he left the NDDC and his position as special adviser on Niger Delta Affairs, Alaibe went into his shell but he is seen as one of the people that can give Dickson a good fight if he gets the nod of stakeholders to run.
He is said to be seeking the blessing of Sylva to run on the ticket of APC, a proposal, it was gathered, Sylva is not favourably disposed to.
Senator Paulker was former president Jonathan’s Man Friday. Dickson tried unsuccessfully to deny him a return ticket to the Senate. In terms of maturity and experience, Paulker has all going for him. He is from Yenagoa that has not yet produced governor.
Worman Ogoriba is from Kolokuma/Opokuma axis that has formed a leading opposition to Dickson’s comeback bid. He recently defected to the APC.
Ambassador Igali is the one seen as the dark horse in the race. He aspired for the office of the governor but ex-president Jonathan, instead, supported Dickson.
This time, Igali may be lucky. He looks less controversial than any of the other aspirants. When he was the secretary of Bayelsa State government under Jonathan, he acquitted himself creditably.
The political temperature in Bayelsa has reached fever pitch and only time will tell if Dickson can weather the storm and return on December 5.
