With a resounding margin of 57 delegate votes to three, the former Bayelsa State Governor and Senator representing Bayelsa West Senatorial District, Henry Seriake Dickson, trumped his opponent, Pastor Donald Daunemeghan, to clinch the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for next year’s Senatorial elections.
The victory gives Dickson the opportunity to recontest for the seat he won in a by-election last year.
According to the Returning Officer, Mr. Godspower Akeh, the election, held at the Local Government Service Commission Centre, Sagbama, had a total of 62 votes, two of which were voided.
Akeh said that Dickson polled 57, to Duanemeghan’s three votes.
He said the votes of two delegates were voided, as they voted for both aspirants.
In his acceptance address, Dickson who spoke to journalists shortly after, thanked the Almighty God, the Governor and party leaders for their sustained support over the years.
He was expressed gratitude to the people he described as the ‘almighty delegates’ for their abiding faith in him for the sixth time that he had contested elections and won all in the state.
Dickson’s Statement reads thus:
“As you know in all things, you give thanks to God for his mercies. I want to thank the leaders of our party in our state, beginning with the governor, who traditionally is the leader of the party. I thank and appreciate the abiding support and solidarity that I have enjoyed all these years from the good people of this senatorial district and the elders of our party who have always been solidly behind us.
“Today, I thank the organising team that came with the party leaders, I thank INEC and the security people for providing a very conducive atmosphere and I thank the all mighty delegates, they are our bosses in this process. Let me say as someone who has contested a number of elections, this is the sixth time I am on the ballot on the platform of the PDP. So you can understand why this party is special to some of us and why over the years, particularly from 2015 against all odds, we never spared anything to keep this party from the control of our state.
“In all these six times, this primary process has proved to be very different. This is the first time that leaders of our party, previous and serving are not delegates. They are not part of the decision making process. You all understand why it is so and that I know as someone who has administered the party, who has contested several elections, I know it portends some challenges for our party.
“I want to plead for understanding on the part of all the leaders, who for the first time are not part of the nomination process of our party.
“Leaders of our party, office holders, legislators, governors, even party executives, because of this special circumstance are not part of the decision process. This is the first time in the history of our party that a few number of people, have to determine the fate of leaders.
“So I want to call for understanding on the part of our leaders because I can feel the pain and the pulse of people. I can also appreciate the feelings of those who have lost out one way or the other because of the numbers involved. Six people, Nine people, Twelve people now have to elect the flagbearer of the Constituency.
“This is a call I am making to the national leadership of our party. We are all stakeholders and they should take note of this very extreme and rare development. They should ensure that party leaders in all our states are directed and enjoined to unfold a program of reconciliation to assuage the feelings of those who have been hurt by the decisions that ordinary members of our party from the grassroots have to make about their fate. It has never happened before. We understand why it is so.
“So, I know the feelings and as a major stakeholder, I want to use this opportunity to call for understanding because if I don’t, who will? We want our party to survive, to be strong and to win elections.
“I call for understanding on the part of those who may have ill feelings and to say that we should rally behind those who have won, rally behind leaders of our party so that together, we can move to sure victory.
“As you all know, this is a PDP State and I count on all your support as we join the Governor, who is the leader of our party in the state to campaign for all our candidates.”