Bayelsa West seat: Heavy silence in PDP as Gov. Diri back Dickson’s return to Senate despite controversy

There is an uncomfortable silence in the fold of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa State over the decision of Gov. Douye Diri to back his predecessor,Chief Seriake Dickson to return to the Senate for a second term despite the grumbling by some stakeholders from Ekeremor Local Government Council.

NAIJA LIVE TV gathered that after months of protests, claims and counter claims from PDP members from Ekeremor and Sagbama that formed the Bayelsa West Senatorial district, Governor Douye Diri at a meeting held on Thursday at the Goverment house argued in favour of the second term aspiration of Former Governor Seriake Dickson.

Governor Diri was quoted as pleading with the people of Sagbama/Ekeremor Local Government area to rally support for the Former Governor a second term at the National Assembly.

According to the source,”Governor Diri called on all stakeholders from Bayelsa West Senatorial district to allow the status quo of Former Governor Dickson for Senate but was silent on the next move for Hon. Fred Agbedi (Ekeremor). He reminded them of the contributions of former Governor Dickson to the party and the State. And particularly the role he played during the last election where PDP miraculously emerged as winner.”

NAIJA LIVE TV gathered that while many caucus members from Sagbama Local council areas hail the Governor’s decision, some others particularly the due of Hon. Jeremiah Owoupele and Hon. Barnabas Edure were visibly dump founded after series of outburst against the allege attempt to scuttle the purported zoning between Ekeremor and Sagbama for the Senatorial and Federal House of Representatives seats.

An House of Representatives Aspirant, Hon. Jeremiah Owoupele, who was also at the meeting confirmed to NAIJA LIVE TV that the meeting ended with a plea by Governor Douye Diri calling on the PDP stakeholders to consider returning Senator Dickson to the Senate and Hon. Fred Agbedi to the Federal house of representative for the third term.
He pointed out that “while it is our leaders right to appeal to all in the instant circumstance, it is also the right of the people to either accept or stand by our agreement , one which had the endorsement of all including political parties in recent time.”

“In responding to this development am guided by certain realities among which is ; is our leader asking a whole group of people to drink the chalice of injustice to satisfy a man who without any duress consented to this age long agreement ?Is our leader by his actions telling us that there is no agreement ?”
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“Will other political parties also agree with him assuming we all in obedience accept his call which in our estimation came rather late ?. In my view, leadership is about meeting the expectations of the people who you lead . While it is acknowledged that one good turn deserves another , in the instant case , the Incumbent Senator himself subscribed, campaigned and won on the strength and persuasion of ZONING”

“Therefore , there is no moral nor political justification for him to now renege and attempt to take what is not his to take as of right. I want to appeal to all men of good conscience in Sagbama and Ekeremor that injustice anywhere is a clog to human progress . The people of Ekeremor deserve their fair share of the Senate seat. In the same breath we the people of Sagbama also deserve the House of Representatives seat.”

“We have bought forms and we have been consulting in our bid to get elected . In doing this we have expended resources, mentally, politically and psychologically. Our people have also shown their willingness and resilience to be part of this unique history built on trust and a common understanding. Anything further from this will have far reaching negative political implications.”

“I therefore respectfully urge the leadership of our party and our people to thread carefully as this might be the trigger that will occasion a political wave that will sink our political boat  . As a person, I have enormous respect for our leader and I believe this meeting is orchestrated by none other than the incumbent Senator who has nothing to loose” .

“I appeal strongly to our leader, the Governor to in the spirit of fairness allow everyone to contest the elections. I want  to also remind my leader who has introduced a new approach to politics , that of being absolutely sincere and putting the interest of the people as paramount to remain within this defined leadership boundaries. His people from Ayamasa are asking for justice as the people of Aleibiri are also asking him to upheld justice in this matter . The same justice which allowed them to vote massively against their son Rt Hon Peremobowei Ebebi.”

However, a youth leader and a former Special Adviser to former Gov Dickson on youth mobilization/DG of the Douye Diri/Lawrence Youth Network from Bayelsa West Senatorial District, Comrade Ebilade Ekerefe has called on stakeholders from the district to hearken to the decisions of Gov. Diri and the PDP caucus and shealt their swords and rally round support for Senator Dickson and Fred Agbedi for Reps ahead of the national Assembly elections.

Comrade Ebilade, who is also from Aleibiri community in Ekeremor LGA said the reasons put forward by Governor Douye Diri for his support of Former Governor Dickson’s return to the Senate is valid and acceptable to the stakeholders in the region. Owning to the fact that the country is currently seating on a time-bomb and having the stature and political experience of Dickson is required at the center in the best interest of our state and the Ijaw nation. “Let me specially plead with the few that may be angered, loyalty to party leadership and decision is important and must be upheld. And therefore, it’s time to put the past behind and let’s move forward.”

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