Tony Olutomiwa and Wale Ibrahim
With the conclusion of party primaries, preparatory to the November 16 governorship elections in Bayelsa and Kogi states, political gladiators are bracing up for the titanic battle ahead.
The two major political parties in the country, the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, are eager to use the two elections, as proof of their acceptability among the Nigerian electorate.
In Bayelsa State, political activities took a swing last week when the PDP officially launched its governorship campaign ahead of the November 16 election.
The crowd of party supporters was huge just as the messages, particularly from Governor Seriake Dickson, were vibrant, optimistic and blunt, foretelling the shape of things to come. Excitement ran freely but the reality was also palpable among close watchers of political developments in the state that this election won’t be a walk in the park in spite of the governor’s evocations of sentiments and tough talk.
The opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, has gradually created a space for its operations in the state and with the choice of Chief David Lyon as its gubernatorial candidate; there are those who believe there’s a swelling sentiment for the APC candidate. But this would still have to be tested at the polls in November.
Indeed, to Governor Seriake Dickson, there is no question about any opportunity for the APC to win election in Bayelsa State and this, he said, was based on the dominance of the PDP across the state and a tradition since from the return to democracy in 1999.
Speaking at the campaign flag off at the Ox-Bow Lake venue last week, Dickson dismissed the APC leadership and its governorship candidate in the state as incapable of dethroning his party, stating that apart from the quality and experience of the PDP candidate, the record of performance by his administration would be sufficient to convince the people that the Douye Diri/Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo ticket was best for the state.
The governor said that the need for continuity and stability in government informed the choice of Senator Douye Diri as the PDP flagbearer and insisted that PDP would win the election.
Dickson’s evaluation of the PDP in relation to its strength and APC’s chances was not without further qualification, saying that the crowd at the event was a tip of the iceberg as the party’s strength was formidable across the state.
His words:”We hear people saying that Bayelsa can be won by APC. What you see here is a tip of the iceberg. It will take you one hour to get here. It is like this in every local government area, every ward, every community in this state. This state is totally and wholly PDP. Just as we defeated them with their so-called federal support in 2015, we will defeat them with bigger margin in November.”
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The governor, fondly called Ofurumapepe (the great white shark) by his admirers also used the occasion to call on the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and former governor in the state, Timipre Sylva, to bring development to Bayelsa State.
He urged Sylva to apply the “federal might” by adding value to the state and bring to fruition the NLNG and the fertiliser project in Brass rather than using his appointment and federal institutional powers to cause violence during the November governorship election.
He said: “I want to advise the leader of APC, Timipre Sylva, while we know he is a politician, let him not forget to bring our needed development to us.
“This is the time to bring back Brass NLNG, which is in his local government and the Brass Fertiliser. This is the time to work with me and the government of Bayelsa to bring infrastructure to this state.
“Let him not use federal might for politicking. Federal might is meant for development. We on our part are doing our best. Everything here is courtesy of the PDP government.
“From Alamieyeseigha to our former president (Goodluck Jonathan), and even Sylva, some of the good things he did were done under the PDP government. Since he went to the other side, he has not added any value to our state.
“But he has the opportunity now and we thank the president for appointing him, but he should not use that federal might to bring in soldiers and police to come and kill and intimidate our people during election.”
Dickson reviewed the performance of his administration in close to eight years and gave himself pass mark.
He said the Restoration Government had made a difference in the areas of infrastructure, including the various roads and bridges built, health facilities and development in education where he said many boarding schools had been built, scholarships awarded and two universities established, among others.
He said that no government, either state or federal, can solve all problems within its tenure but that the next government headed by the PDP candidate would complete them.
He said: “That’s why we want a government that will continue with all these things. And that is why our party leaders and courtesy of the delegates, we are presenting a ticket of continuity and stability, a ticket of experience and development. The indigenes don’t want a ticket that will turn this state to a gathering of hooligans and criminals where people will be running away as they did before. This is why we are presenting this ticket and by the grace of God, your next governor in 2020 will be Senator Douye Diri.
“There is no government that can claim to solve all problems of a state or a country in eight years. But so much was done. There are a lot of things that are ongoing, so many things we planned to do but due to time and resources were stalled, all of these, Douye Diri and the new government will continue and complete.”
He told party supporters that the forthcoming election was about their future and not about him as he urged them to go into their various units and wards to work for the success of the party at the election.
“Let us buckle up and deliver for PDP, not Governor Dickson or Douye Diri. This party has come to stay here from when Chief Alamieyeseigha became the first governor; he flied the PDP ticket and won the state for PDP. The baton of leadership has continued to remain in the hands of PDP government. Let us keep this party for our people. There is no alternative. Get ready to mobilise and vote them out,” he said.
While advising security agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to exhibit responsibility by carrying out their jobs as required during the election, he said the state government was ready to cooperate with such agencies for a peaceful election.
Perhaps casting a reflective look at the turbulent 2015 governorship election in the state, Dickson candidly warned; “Please don’t use your power to advance the evil ambition of any politician, our state has been peaceful and we will continue to work with security agencies to make it even more peaceful.”
The governor further said that the cargo airport in Amassoma built by the state government would begin operations later this month.
Also speaking, the PDP governorship candidate, Senator Douye Diri, lauded Dickson’s leadership qualities and the strides in the various developmental projects recorded by his administration as he promised to build on his legacy.
He said he would complete all the roads and the aquaculture projects under construction by the restoration government in the state.
He also promised the youths a new era of care and development if elected, stating that as former commissioner for youths in the state, they would be the focus of government.
“We would do all those things the current government has been doing and add more for you. More things are coming your way through jobs and enterprising activities,” Diri said.
He also said his administration would cater for the interests of women in the state via micro financing to ensure they are in various businesses.
A former APC leader from Agbere, Sagbama Local Government Area of the state, Bribena Miebi led others to defect to the PDP at the event.
Present at the event were the PDP National Vice Chairman, South South, Emmanuel Ogidi, BoT member, Remi Kuku, State Chairman, Moses Cleopas, Caucus Chairman, Chief TKO Okorotie, top government functionaries and party leaders.
Some of the governorship aspirants who lost to Diri in the primaries, including the Secretary to the State Government, Kemela Okara, Keneibi Okoko, Talford Ongolo, Dr. Nimibofa Ayawei (now Director-General of the campaign), Hon. Fred Agbedi, Hon. Benson Sunday Agadaga and the only female aspirant, Tari Oliva, also graced the occasion.
However, the APC has since reacted to Governor Dickson’s remarks about the quality and capacity of its candidate as well as ability to win the state and provide effective leadership.
In a statement, the APC governorship candidate, David Lyon, said he believed more in solving problems than making noise, adding that governance was beyond making flowery comments which, he said, could be deceptive.
The statement issued by his media aide, Chief Gift Ebiki, said that the job of a governor is to identify problems, formulate actionable plans, deploy and monitor human and material resources to solve the problems and ensure achievements of required results.
“This is who Lyon is. By virtue of my training as a scientist, having studied Chemistry and Mathematics, I am prepared to solve the problems of my people. We have identified the problems and we are going to solve them. We won’t speak too much grammar about it. We will simply roll up our sleeves and get to work. It is on record that those who talk too much have little or no action,” Lyon said.
He further said instead of the governor dissipating his energy, making uncomplimentary remarks against him, he should channel such energy in resolving the crisis in his party.
In Kogi State, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, cleared 23 out of the 49 candidates that emerged from the primaries of the various political parties for the November battle.
Some of the remaining candidates either withdrew voluntarily and pitched their tents with the incumbent, Governor Yahaya Bello of the APC or were disqualified by the electoral umpire.
With the green light by INEC, the political landscape in the Confluence State has been charged with lots of activities as the contending gladiators are bracing up for the fight ahead.
Guess work as to who the possible winner of the election could be is in full swing. As such, politicians are playing the dice. They are cross carpeting, looking for where their bread could be buttered in the next four years. The party most affected by this raft of defection is the PDP.
In Kogi West Senatorial District, APC has been receiving defectors from Kabba/Bunu council area, mostly from PDP. Former chairman, Kabba/Bunu Local Government, Nathaniel Taiwo, who was also a member of the state House of Assembly, along with over 1000 PDP members, defected to the ruling APC in Okebukun.
Also, about 1000 members of the Audu/Faleke group, who defected to the African Democratic Congress, ADC, are back in the fold of the ruling party.
The returnees, including some executive members of the ADC in the council were led by a community leader, Chief Emmanuel Olowodola.
Director General, Bello/Onoja Governorship Campaign Organisation, Senator Smart Adeyemi while receiving some defectors, said Kogi State was moving closer to becoming a one-party state.
Adeyemi noted that the recent defection of some bigwigs from other parties to the APC was a measure of the growing confidence in the party.
He said that the coming of Chief Olowodola, few weeks to the governorship election was a big plus for the party, even as he described the former Post Master General of the federation as an accomplished politician, who would add great value to the party.
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“People are moving into our party because of the growing confidence in APC. This is the party to beat. This is the party that means well for the people. This is the party of development,” Adeyemi said.
Political observers noted that the gale of defections in the western senatorial district may likely have a negative impact on the chances of the PDP in the area.
“Tell me what remains of the PDP. Very soon, we will obliterate PDP from the state’s political map,” Adeyemi said.
But the PDP is brimming with confidence that it would defeat the incumbent. The party’s stakeholders have endorsed the Musa Wada/Samuel Aro ticket for the November 16 election.
At a stakeholders’ meeting held in Lokoja, PDP also vowed to ensure the reconciliation of all aggrieved members.
The stakeholders at the meeting, tagged; “Confidence Building Meeting”, maintained that the party must address grievances arising from the party primary and as well as embark on reconciliation of aggrieved members.
PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, in his remarks, urged all stakeholders of the party to put aside grievances arising from the primary election to form a formidable team to ensure victory for the party and its flag bearer.
“Our party will not form a government of a few, whose responsibility will be to loot the state dry. When PDP governed the state, the economy was in good hands. Workers and teachers built houses but the reverse is the case now,” he said.
He said the National Chairman of the party, Mr. Uche Secondus, was committed to a genuine reconciliation process aimed at bringing all aggrieved party members on board, ahead of the election.
“Secondus said I should tell this house that the party will run on reconciliation and we have started. In PDP, we are sure and confident, we will achieve that unity. Let us take this message back to our polling units, that the people have the responsibility to rescue themselves,” he added.