Unpaid salaries: Bayelsa workers turn to begging for survival

Some workers in public and civil service in Bayelsa State have turned to begging to survive the hard economic realities in the state.

It was observed that some workers, in a bid to cope with the harsh economic condition foisted on them by unpaid salaries, had devised different means to beg in order to fulfil their financial obligations.

The PUNCH learnt that the civil and public servants being owed about five months’ salaries by the Governor Seriake Dickson-led administration could no longer meet their personal and family obligations.

Many of them were said to be unable to pay their bills, children’s school fees and service their accommodation expenses.

Due to their inability to pay transportation fares, most of them could no longer attend to go to their work places and church activities while persons who managed to go end up begging for fares to go back home.

Some of them said they were dying of hunger, adding that they no longer went to work because of the lack of money for transport and feeding.

They recalled that Dickson had promised to promptly pay salaries of workers, but wondered why the governor, who was no longer executing projects, could not pay workers.

One of them, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation, said he stopped going to work because the government had not paid him since November 2015.

The source, who is a manager in the government owned Izon Ibe Community Bank, confessed, “I work in the state-owned micro-finance bank, but since November, I have not been paid. I can’t go to work because I need to look for something to do to feed my family. It has been very tough. Surviving in Bayelsa State has become so difficult.

“I wonder why an oil-producing state like Bayelsa cannot pay salaries. We learnt that states like Ebonyi and Taraba, with one of the least allocations, still pay salaries. But here, we are working in an oil-producing state without salaries.”

Also, two ladies working for the state government were sighted on Imgbi Road, on Wednesday, begging passers-by for N100 to go home after attending a morning church programme in the area.

Though many people turned them down, they leapt up in joy when eventually a Good Samaritan gave the duo N500 to go home.

It was, however, learnt that the governor recently approved the payment of a month’s salary for the civil servants, but most of them had no balance left in the accounts after their banks deducted arrears of unpaid loans.

A food vendor, who identified herself simply as Emilia,  said the hardship had affected her so much that most of her customers no longer patronised her.

She said, “Before, my small shop used to bubble with patronage. I would finish selling before 9pm every day.

“But everything has changed. I have reduced the quantity I cook, yet I can’t finish selling my food even up to 12am. I carry them home. I am even considering closing my shop.”

However, most residents have blamed the development on the leadership style of Dickson, saying he stifled the economy on assuming office as the governor for the second term.

An angry resident, identified simply as Emmanuel, wondered why the government was claiming that the state is poor when Dickson said he opened a dedicated account “where he saved for the rainy day.”

“The rain is now falling. People expected the governor to start using the savings of the state in paying salaries and rejuvenating the economy. Bayelsa is not supposed to be suffering. It is supposed to be a model state.”

Commenting on the situation, the Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress, Bayelsa State, Mr. Ndiomu George-Diepre, said the Congress was disenchanted with the development.

Though he appreciated the economic situation in the country, he, however, appealed to Dickson to pay the workers so that they could  meet their personal and family obligations.

George-Diepre said, “The Congress as usual is still on the struggle. Right now,  we are on the air, calling on the government to pay the unpaid salaries.

“While we understand the economic situation in the country and how it also affects the states, we are still asking that the government should pay all the outstanding salaries of workers, particularly the pensioners and of course, the local government workers.

“There are also a lot of scams and ghost workers suspected in those areas, and the governor is saying he wants to do verification  and after that they will pay. But the Labour is saying that they should be paid because they have suffered for a long time.”

However, a top official in the Governor’s office said Bayelsa State was not the only state that was owing salaries, rationalising that some states were owing between seven and eight months.

The official,  who did not want his name mentioned, said, “So, why is Bayelsa State so peculiar that journalists want to do a report on it?

“The Federal Government is owing. You heard the Secretary to the Government of the Federation saying the FG is owing N6bn every month. Is that not scandalous for a nation like Nigeria? Is it not more news worthy than workers resorting to begging? Check the fact, we are owing just three months.”

Unpaid salaries: Bayelsa workers turn to begging for survival

Dickson wins re-election as Bayelsa governor

Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson yesterday won a second term after a tension-soaked election.

The election came to a conclusion following the declaration of results of Saturday’s supplementary election results in the troublesome Southern Ijaw Local Government Area and 101 polling units across six local government areas.

Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson

Dickson of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won with 134,998 votes to beat the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Timipre Sylva, who polled 86,852 votes.

Dickson won in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area with  23,081 votes. Sylva scored 10,216 votes.

The returning officer announced the cancellation of  39,679 votes in Southern Ijaw for over voting, ballot box snatching, non-use of card readers and other irregularities.

Declaring the results, the Returning Officer and Vice -Chancellor of the University of Calabar, Prof. Zena Akpagu, said Dickson was returned having satisfied the requirements of the law and scoring the highest votes cast.

Amid tight security, Akpagu declared the winner of the election at the state collation centre inside the multipurpose hall of the Yenagoa Local Government Area secretariat.

Hundreds of armed security operatives surrounded the venue and its environs with head of security agencies, such as the police, army and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, monitoring the proceedings.

The governor extended his initially lead of 33,150 votes to 48,146 to retain his position after the epic electoral battle.

The breakdown of the results showed that Dickson won in seven of the eight local government areas. Sylva won in only his Brass Local Government Area.

In Yenagoa Local Government Area, Dickson won the supplementary election with 839 votes as against Sylva’s 448 votes.

The consolidated results for the Council showed that PDP and Dickson polled 25,097 to defeat APC and its candidate who scored 15,011.

In Brass,  the APC candidate widened his lead in the six polling units where the rerun election was held. Sylva polled 1,679 to extend his previous lead from 21,755 to 23,434 votes. Dickson got five votes to have a consolidated total of 6517 votes.

The agent of the APC from Brass, Mr. Denis Otiotio, staged a walkout from the collation centre, claiming that he was not given an equal opportunity by the Returning Officer to address issues raised by the PDP agent.

In Ogbia, Dickson extended his lead in the 27 polling units where the rerun poll was held.  He polled 1290 votes to lead from 13051 to 14341 votes.  Sylva added only 139 votes to get 9249.

Also, the PDP and Dickson won in Ekeremor, the local government area of the Minister of State for Agriculture, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, amidst protests by the APC.

Dickson extended his lead from 14,602 votes to 17,297 after securing 2,695 in the 32 polling units where the supplementary election was held in the area.

Sylva got 257 votes poll to increase his consolidated votes in the area to 8,178.

There were, however, controversies in Ekeremor, following the cancellation of 17 units by the local government collation officer.

The officer said the units were annulled for overvoting, disagreements on electoral procedures and diversion of electoral materials.

He said the cancellation affected over 6,600 votes, adding that of 9157 registered voters, only 3,018 were accredited for the poll.

But the cancellation sparked a row between the agent of the APC, Mr. Denis Otiotio, and his PDP counterpart  Mr. Fred Agbedi.

Otiotio said the APC won by landslide in all the units cancelled, insisting that the ad-hoc employees of INEC were deliberately recruited with a mandate to work against the interest of the APC.

He said the ward collation officers were given too much discretionary powers and wondered why 6,600 votes would be cancelled in an election that had 9157 registered voters.

He said: “Everywhere APC won, the collation officer looked for a flimsy excuse to cancel it. The process must be free, fair and the procedure must be seen to be so. We submitted petitions but the electoral officers refused to collect them.”

Otiotio urged the Returning Officer to suspend the collation and devote some time to peruse the petitions byAPC, a request that was turned down by the returning officer.

He said APC had petitions against the conduct of elections in Ogbia, Nembe and Ogbia, insisting that the petitions must be looked into by the Returning Officer.

But Agbedi said the 257 votes scored by the APC in Ekeremor should be cancelled, describing them as stolen votes.

Agbedi, who is a member of the House of Representatives, accused the APC of engaging in actions that led to the cancellation.

However, in Nembe, Sylva won the supplementary election after scoring 1,400 votes but still trailed behind Dickson in the consolidated votes. Sylva had 8,374 overall votes, Dickson got 11,927 votes after securing 1,163 in the rerun election to win the council area.

The announcement of Nembe results also ended in protest following the cancellation of 883 votes.

Otiotio said the cancellation was done without following the process laid down by INEC, wondering why a local government collation officer annulled a result that had been collated and brought to the INEC office in Yenagoa.

He said: “l vehemently object to that procedure. When votes had been collated and brought to the INEC office, any party that has problem with it goes to the tribunal.”

Dickson wins re-election as Bayelsa governor

Dickson"s sister kidnapped in Bayelsa

A 26-year-old lady, Nancy Keme Dickson, has been kidnapped by armed men at the Okaka suburb of Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital. The gunmen also seized her sales girl.

Sunday Vanguard gathered that Nancy is Governor Seriake Dickson’s sister.

The gunmen, numbering four, were said to have stormed  Keme’s shop at about 2.50pm, yesterday, in a  Lexus Jeep. According to eyewitnesses, the gunmen trailed their victim to her shop along Okaka Road, Yenagoa where she and her sales girl were forcibly taken away to an unknown destination.

Bayelsa State police public relations officer, Asinim Butswat, confirmed the incident. He said, “On December 19, 2015, at about 1450hrs, four unknown gunmen in an ash Lexus Jeep, trailed one Nancy Keme Dickson, 26, to her shop at Okaka Road, Yenagoa, and abducted her and her sales girl to an unknown destination.”

Butswat said immediately the command was alerted, it embarked on a stop and search/cordon operations in a bid to rescue the victims and apprehend the perpetrators.

“Efforts have been intensified to arrest the abductors and investigation is ongoing.”

Dickson"s sister kidnapped in Bayelsa

It’s rape of democracy, says Sylva as INEC stops poll

Decision in order, say Dickson, PDP

bayelsa poll Results

Local Govt          APC      PDP

• Brass 21, 755   6,516


• Sagbama 5,382       28,934


• Yenagoa 14,563 24,258


• Kolokuma/ Opokuma     6,896      7,619

• Ekeremor 7,918    14,604


• Ogbia 9,106    13,051


• Nembe 6,974    10,768 

•Election cancelled in Southern Ijaw Local Govt

Another electoral logjam surfaced yesterday —courtesy of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which failed to conclude a governorship election.

Just as it did in Kogi State last month, the agency threw a spanner in the works,  declaring Saturday’s election in Bayelsa State inconclusive.

These are the two governorship elections so far held under the chairmanship of Prof. Mahmud Yakubu as INEC chairman.

INEC cancelled the rescheduled poll in Southern Ijaw Local Government Council, one of the eight local governments in the state.

Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Baritor Kpagir said the cancellation was endorsed by the national headquarters.

Kpagir said the election was cancelled, following reports that the poll in Southern Ijaw was substantially marred by violence, ballot box snatching, intimidation and other irregularities.

The REC, at the state collation centre located inside the multipurpose hall of the secretariat of Yenagoa Local Government, noted that in the interest of international compliance with best practice, the cancellation of the election became necessary.

Kpagir indicated that a new date for the election would be chosen and communicated to all the stakeholders.

The Chief Retuning Officer, Prof. Zena Akpogu, who is also the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calabar in Cross River State, maintained that he could not declare any of the candidates the winner of the poll, without the results from Southern Ijaw Local Government.

The mainly-riverine Southern Ijaw is the biggest council in the state. It has over 120,000 voting strength, which would decide the eventual winner of the election between Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) Seriake Dickson and the All Progressives Congress’ (APC’s) Chief Timipre Sylva.

The governorship election took place on Saturday in Yenagoa, Kolokuma/Opokuma, Sagbama, Brass, Ekeremor, Ogbia and Nembe Councils. The poll in Southern Ijaw council was rescheduled for Sunday also as a result of violence and killings.

In the collated results from the seven local governments as announced by the Returning Officer, the PDP leads with 33,154 votes. The PDP polled 105,748 votes as against APC’s 72,594 votes.

Prior to the cancellation of the election in Southern Ijaw, some PDP women and youths, who wore black dresses and led by the party’s Bayelsa Women Leader Faith Opuene, protested near the collation centre, expressing displeasure over the poll in Southern Ijaw.

Barely 30 minutes after the protest, despite the police ban on demonstrations, some militants from Southern Ijaw escorted two Hilux vans, one of them with Bayelsa Government House registration number: BYGH145, into the collation centre.

The two vehicles were loaded with uncounted ballot materials, without any security escort or INEC official.

The militants, who were singing war songs, as they alighted from the Hilux vans, claimed that they escaped from Southern Ijaw with the results of three units of Amassoma in the council area, in view of the violence, but the electoral materials were not accepted by the INEC officials at the collation centre.

The Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) in charge of Training and Development, Hashimu Argungu, told the militants to give peace a chance, assuring them that INEC would address their complaints.

The results are: Brass Local Government PDP 21,755 votes, APC 6,516 votes.

Sagbama PDP: 24, 258, APC 5, 382.  Yenagoa, PDP 24,258, APC 14, 563

Kolokuma/Opokuma PDP 7,619 votes, APC 6,896.

Ekeremor PDP 14,602, APC 7,918 votes.

For the results announced yesterday: Ogbia PDP 13,051, APC 9,106 and Nembe PDP 10,768 APC 6,974 votes.

From the seven local government areas, PDP polled 105,748 votes. APC had 72,594 votes, with a difference of 33,154 votes.

The police warned against plans by some people to protest in Yenagoa, the state capital.

A statement by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG), Hashimu Argungu, banned all forms of procession, rally or demonstration.

The statement was circulated at INEC’s collation centre in Yenagoa, where the results of the governorship election in the state were being announced.

It was gathered that the PDP had already mobilised people to protest against the rescheduled election that was held in Southern Ijaw.

Argungu said the police were informed about plans by some “disgruntled elements” to carry out illegal rallies and demonstrations in the state.

The DIG said: “This form of conduct will jeopardise the ongoing electoral process. Therefore, the command warns all intending perpetrators to desist from such acts, as it will deal decisively with any person or group of persons who wish to engage in any conduct that will compromise the existing peaceful atmosphere.

“Members of the public are advised to go about their normal businesses, as security agencies are poised to guarantee the safety of lives and property.”

Earlier, Dickson was live on the state-owned Radio Bayelsa, protesting the electoral process, at the time he was leading with over 28,000 votes.

Dickson asked residents to hit the streets at 2p.m. for a rally to protest what was happening at the collation centre and he vowed to lead the protest.

The Bayelsa governor, who fielded questions from listeners, said: “There will be a rally to resist what is happening now. It is clear to me that security services have become an army of occupation.”

Security was strengthened in the state capital, with four Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) deployed round the state collation centre.

Detachment of anti-bomb squad, riot policemen and soldiers took over some strategic areas in Yenagoa, to prevent a breakdown of law and order.

It’s rape of democracy, says Sylva as INEC stops poll

Bayelsa polls: Dickson ahead, wins in 4 LGs

YENAGOA—WITH official results from five of the eight local councils, Governor Seriake Dickson of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday, emerged as the front runner in the Bayelsa State Governorship election having scored 81,929 votes.

Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson

He is closely being pursued by the All Progressives Congress, APC, standard bearer and immediate past governor of the state, Chief Timipre Sylva, who got 56,514 votes.

So far, results from 28 polling units in the five councils were cancelled due to electoral skirmishes, over-voting, malfunctioning card readers and violence.

While Dickson won in four of the five councils, Sylva had the upper hand in the battle for Brass, his local council. The councils that Dickson won were Sagbama, Yenagoa, Ekeremor, Kolokuma/Opokuma.

Official announcement of the results will continues today at 10 am. The remaining councils are Ogbia, Nembe and Southern Ijaw.

This came as the PDP alleged, yesterday, that the APC perpetrated violence in Southern Ijaw area of the state and was plotting to manipulate the outcome of the exercise to its favour.

Dickson wins in Sagbama, Yenagoa, Ekeremor, Kolokuma/Opokuma

In Sagbama Local Council, which has 14 wards and where Governor Dickson hails from, the PDP had the upper hand.

Out of the 35,647 valid votes, the PDP got 28,934, the APC scored 5,382 while the PDM got 406 votes.

According to the Collation Officer, Mr. Perekeme Bertola, a lecturer at the Niger Delta University, NDU, results from six polling units at Asamabiri were cancelled due to alleged malfunctioning card reader and electoral violence.

Total registered voters in the council stands at 84,550; accredited voters are 36,892 and 726 votes were voided

Dickson also won in Yenagoa, the state capital with 24,258  votes while Sylva got 14,563 votes. The PDM polled 451 votes.

However, results from 16 polling units were cancelled due to snatching of election materials, violence and intimidation of electoral personnel, according to the Collation Officer, Mr Victor Torupele, a lecturer at NDU.

Total registered voters in the council is135,025; Valid votes, 40,041; void votes 1710; accredited voters 44,751 and  total votes cast 41,751.

For Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Council, the results are: PDP, 7,619; Apc, 6,896 and PDM, 137 as announced by the Returning Officer, Mr Aniekwe James, senior staff of Federal University Otuoke.

Sylva wins Brass

Sylva carried the day in his Local Council, Brass, carting away 21,755 votes compared to Dickson’s 6,516. The PDM had 222 votes.

The Acting chairman of the state PDP, Serena Dokubo-Spiff is also from Brass, which has 10 wards.

According to the Collation Officer, Dr D Tambo, results from six units in ward 1 were cancelled due to alleged electoral skirmishes and over voting.

Total registered voters in the council is 55,923 of which 30,397 voters were accredited. Total valid votes is 28,616 and 592 votes voided.

The ruling PDP won the tough battle for Ekeremor Local Council, which has 12 wards. Ekeremor is the local government area of the Minister of State for Agriculture and Director General of the Sylva/Igiri Campaign Organisation, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri as well as Fred Agbedi, the Director General of the Restoration Campaign Organisation of the PDP candidate.

Breakdown of the votes scored by the political parties, according to the Collation officer, Dr. Johnson Dagana  of the  Open University of Nigeria, Yenagoa Study Centre are as follows: PDP, 14,602; APC 7,918; ACPN 7;  ADC 5; APA 35;  APGA 8; CPP 3; DPC 5; DPP 9; NP 4; MPP 1; NNPP 4; PDC 3; PDM 44; PPA 15; and UPP 1.

Total registered voters is 82,783 out of which 24,667 were accredited voters. Total valid votes recorded was 22,664 and 634 votes voided.

Delay is plot to rig — PDP

The PDP, yesterday, protested the delay in releasing the official result of the governorship election in seven out of the eight local councils of Bayelsa State.

The PDP alleged that the APC was planning to upturn its victory at the polls.

This came as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) Mr. Moses Siasia, said the exercise was fraught with irregularities, especially financial inducement and illegal thumb printing of ballot papers.

Siasia called for the disqualification of parties and candidates allegedly involved in such irregularities.

Also, two commissioners of police, Brigade Commander, Battalion Commander and a Deputy Commander of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), were yesterday deployed to Southern Ijaw Local Council to ensure the safety of lives and property.

State Chairman of the PDP, Chief David Serena Dokubo-Spiff; the National Vice Chairman (South-South), Dr.Cairo Ojougbo and the Senator representing Bayelsa West, Senator Foster Ogola, at a briefing in Yenagoa said the delay in the declaration of results was part of the plot to rig the exercise in favour of the APC.

According to Dokubo-Spiff, investigation by the PDP showed that the processes of planned manipulation had commenced.

He also accused the Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Mr. Barito Pagih of partisanship.

He declared that the National Working Committee and State Executive Committee of the PDP had resolved to resist any attempt to manipulate the outcome of the poll.

His words: “We have our results and it shows clearly that we have won seven out of the eight local government councils. Instead of staying here in Yenagoa and monitor the election, the APC standard bearer is in Abuja having meetings with some officials of the Federal Government on how to manipulate the poll. Enough is enough. We will no longer tolerate the effrontery of the APC.

“Our party wants to register our concern about the conduct of the election in Southern Ijaw. In spite of the fact that the security of lives have not been adequately taken care of, the INEC went on.

“For emphasis, the orgy of violence, perpetrated by the APC thugs in the full glare of security agents resulted in the loss of lives of Bayelsa people. They shot dead five persons in their desperation for power.

“The majority of the indigenes of Oporoma, headquarters of Southern Ijaw and other communities, are still taking refuge in the forests and swamps as a result of the heavy gunfire.”

He also claimed to have escaped unhurt in the hands of armed thugs during the exercise  in Twon Brass, Brass Local Government Area.

Disqualify parties involved in electoral irregularities—Siaisia

On his part, Siasia in a statement by his media aide Mr. Michael Abimboye, said: “No election took place in Bayelsa State. It was political bazaar. INEC should immediately look into this and commence disqualification of political parties involved in the financial inducement and other electoral irregularities.

“I am also using this opportunity to call on the security agencies to do something about it immediately. I don’t believe that with the level of commitment we got from the INEC Chairman, this kind of irregularities took place.

“I saw some government officials with large number of PVCs on election day. What where they doing with such a large number of PVCs? For government officials to have large number of PVCs, then the election cannot stand.

“Security agencies should do their own investigation and bring such persons to book because I believe they contravened the Electoral Act. We must ensure that such kind of people are taught the lessons of their lives.”

Meanwhile, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Hashimu Argugun, at media briefing in Yenagoa, described as untrue the claim that some persons lost their lives in Oporoma.

He said: “The report that some people were killed cannot be confirmed as corpses of the purported dead persons cannot be traced and their particulars could not be obtained from any source.

“Information at my disposal is that there was no death in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.”

Bayelsa polls: Dickson ahead, wins in 4 LGs

PDP raises alarm over plans by APC to rig Bayelsa"s governorship election

The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has raised alarm over alleged plans by the All Progressives Congress, APC to rig the ongoing election in Bayelsa State.

Independent National Electoral Commission on Saturday postpone elections in some areas, including Southern Ijaw, Iga of Bayelsa State.

The PDP accused one Major who it says the APC is using to do their dirty jobs. the Party alleged that the Major has distributed sensitive materials to only APC agents.

This was disclosed by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh.

Metuh said “The Leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) hereby alerts all concerned that the Apc and the military have connived to rig the elections in southern ijaw lga of Bayelsa.

“This rigging is being coordinated by the same major who supervised the killings yesterday.

“The major has handed most of the sensitive materials to only apc agents to fill and return as results in the evening.

“It is on record that APC is yet to win a single local goverment area.”

PDP raises alarm over plans by APC to rig Bayelsa"s governorship election

Begin to pack your belongings, Sylva tells Dickson

Barely 23 days to the governorship election in Bayelsa State, the candidate for the All Progressives Congress, Chief Timipre Sylva, has asked Governor Seriake Dickson to begin to pack his belongings and get ready to quit the Government House.

Timipre Sylva

Sylva carpeted Dickson, the candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party in the December 5 poll, describing his policies and programmes as “anti-people, wicked and painful.”

The former governor, who spoke through his campaign outfit, Sylva-Igiri Campaign Organisation, alleged that Dickson had introduced unpopular policies to inflict pains on the citizens since he became governor in 2012.

Sylva, in a statement signed by the Director of Media and Publicity, SICO, Chief Nathan Egba, said Dickson had deliberately impoverished the people.

He said, “It will be recalled that Governor Dickson had boasted that none of his appointees, particularly the commissioners and special advisers, would become millionaires in his government.

“Dickson went further to introduce policies that have crippled the economic activities of the people of Bayelsa so as to ensure that there would be nobody financially strong enough to challenge him in the coming election.

“The civil servants are worst off as the Dickson administration introduced multiple taxations to shortchange them and take a part of their meager salaries through the backdoor in order to keep them in perpetual poverty.”

Dickson, in a swift reaction, advised Sylva to stop propaganda, unnecessary blackmail and engage in issue-based campaigns.

The governor, who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, reminded the former governor that propaganda never won elections.

The governor said, “Propaganda and blackmail do not win elections. Timipre Sylva and his small group of supporters thrive in propaganda, engaging in outright lies and blackmail but unfortunately, they have failed.

“It is clear that propaganda does not win elections. We urge him to go from community to community as I am doing to meet with the people and campaign on issues.”

The governor reminded Sylva that Bayelsa people could not be deceived or swayed by his blackmail, cheap lies and propaganda.

He queried, “What is draconian about free and compulsory education for children? Or is there anything draconian about the scholarship programme for the youths of Bayesla? Dickson’s government did not introduce new taxes to the people of Bayelsa.”

Begin to pack your belongings, Sylva tells Dickson

There"s no APC in Bayelsa to threaten us - Dickson

ABEOKUTA—Bayelsa State governor, Seriake Dickson, has said the All Progressives Congress, APC, does not have the political will to pose a threat to his re-election bid in the December 5 governorship election in the state.

Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson

Dickson, was accompanied by ex-Bayelsa governor, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, at the 2015 Ojude Oba festival in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, where he was special guest.

The governor, while fielding questions from newsmen, said the APC only engaged in propaganda against his administration in the run-up to the poll.

He urged people of the state and other Nigerians to discountenance the criticisms and allegations against his party, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, by the APC chieftains.

“For all of us in Bayelsa, we know there is no challenge, contest nor threat of any kind. All you have heard or read about us is propaganda. There is no APC in Bayelsa to threaten us,” he stated.

On the Ojude Oba festival, Dickson, who said that his late mother hailed from Ijebu-Ode, commended the people for huge investment in promotion of cultural heritage.

The governor advised parents to always teach their children about culture and tradition, saying such would help in fostering development and nation-building.

His words: “I’m not here today for politics, I’m here to honour our father and also to celebrate with my friends and others in the regberegbes, particularly my own group, the Jagunmolus, and all the people of our country from far and near.

“I am very delighted with the colourful cultural display that I have seen here today. This is what we have been preaching back then, we want our children to know about our tradition and culture  and to make them know that our tradition still has dignity.“

Dignitaries at the event included the Ogun State Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs) Yetunde Onanuga; former governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Senator Daisy Danjuma, Senator Adegbenga Kaka, Senator Lekan Mustapha, and Hon. Adesegun Adekoya.

Others are Afenifere chieftain, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, business mogul, Otunba Subomi Balogun; National President of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Comrade Waheed Odusile, state Head of Service, Mrs Modupe Adekunle, and chairman of Globacom, Otunba Mike Adenuga, who was represented by the company’s Business Director, Ayo Ogunranti.

The Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, said the Ijebu people are proud of their roots and cultural heritage, adding that they would not relent in making significant contributions to Nigeria’s socio-economic and political development.

There"s no APC in Bayelsa to threaten us - Dickson

Jonathan gave it all to save souls just like Jesus Christ - Fayose

YENAGOA -Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State and chairman of the PDP national electoral panel, Bayelsa State yesterday described Dr. Goodluck Jonathan former president’s participation in the primary election in the state as a “home coming” .

Fayose vows to lead opposition against APC

And Fayose went further comparing Jonathan to Jesus saying that Jonathan, just as ‘Jesus Christ did exactly to save souls’, gave it all.

He also said it was wrong on the part of President Muhammadu Buhari to appoint his in-law as the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC).

According to him, “A president took me out of the government house by force and another President gave me a leverage and a platform to come back. To whom much is given, much much is expected.”

Fayose, spoke during the Bayelsa PDP Primary in which the incumbent governor, Seriake Dickson, the sole candidate was elected as the party candidate for the December governorship election.

He said “My President and former President of Nigeria, my loyalty is not in doubt. Forever and ever I am your person and I remain your person, when others fall by the way side, disloyalty, consequences must come and we are witnessing consequences of such in the country.

“Those of them that left us they should learn a lesson from what is going on. We will remain here when you come back, we will remain in the PDP when they come back.

“Your Excellency, the former President of Nigeria, the son of Africa, I don’t want to say the son of Nigeria, my former President, you have done what no African leader has done. You threw in the towel to save Nigeria, you gave us all the relative peace we are enjoying. You remain a man after my heart.

“I am a governor that has no apology for supporting you. Everybody must remember that it is a virtue to be courageous to defend the truth. Whether you throw your own virtue away, will not take away our own party. Jonathan is a man to be recognized in the whole world.

“Conducting an election that worked against his interest, he gave it all. Jesus Christ did exactly the same to save souls. Keep your fingers crossed. Every battle against you will fall by at your feet. There is a purpose of God for everything, you have done your best, leave the rest to God.”

Ayodele Fayose also said it was wrong on the part of President Muhammadu Buhari to appoint his in-law as the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC).

He also urged Governor Dickson not to entertain any fears over the forthcoming election, declaring that the governor has all it takes to defeat the All Progressives Congress, (APC) in the December poll.

Speaking as the chairman PDP National Electoral Panel, Chief Fayose said the party is closely monitoring the activities of the INEC, adding that at the appropriate time its hidden agenda will be made public.

According to him, “I have complained very clearly about the choice of the INEC chairperson. Nobody can give us an INEC chairman that is his daughter or in-law. This is our country and nobody can run out of Nigeria.

“Therefore, we are watching INEC and its activities. We will not allow you to play pranks. This is an Ijaw state and so they are going nowhere. This is a PDP controlled state. No hidden agenda will work in Bayelsa.”

On the preparedness of the party for the December 5 poll, Chief Fayose told the Bayelsa governor not to worry about the ranting of APC.

“In our place, it is one stone that scatters so many birds. Your (Dickson) stone will scatter their birds. I’ve worked with them before. I know their style and antics. So fear not.

“If you read the book of Joshua chapter one, it says, fear not. So don’t be afraid but be courageous because their armies will bow to your army.

“I am conducting this PDP primary in Bayelsa transparently in line with the PDP guidelines. I am not ready to dodge out of this stadium to run away. The truth will stand the test of time and speak for itself.

Describing Governor Dickson as a great fighter, he assured him of victory in the next election.

According to him, “You have won the battle already. This is not a party where they will do one primary today and cancel it tomorrow. In this our own, there will be no cancellation. This is an authority in Bayelsa.

Jonathan gave it all to save souls just like Jesus Christ - Fayose

Jonathan’s support for Dickson, not a threat – Sylva

A former governor of Bayelsa state, Timipre Sylva has said ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s support for Governor Seriake Dickson will not threaten his chances of returning to Government House.

Timipre Sylva

Sylva, who is seeking for the nomination of the All Progressives Congress in the forth coming governorship elections, said this in an interview in Abuja, on Thursday,.

According to him, the former President’s support for Dickson was a clear indication that former president was the “President of Bayelsa State” not the whole of Nigeria.

Sylva spoke after going through a screening exercise preparatory to contesting the APC governorship primaries.

He said, “Well, frankly I am not worried. I always say that the former president was the president of Bayelsa state and he has proven me right. He has always been the president of Bayelsa state; He was never the President of Nigeria.”

Asked what his chances of getting the APC ticket were, Sylva said, “I feel that I have a good standing with the people. As you can see, if you look behind me, you will see the array of Bayelsans who are here with me. Who else is left in Bayelsa? So, I think that because of the people who are with me, I feel I stand a very good chance.”

Commenting on speculations that some aspirants were considering the possibility of stepping down for others, he said, “There are some discussions going on. When it is time to make it public, you will hear.”

A former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Timi Alaibe and a  former Nigerian Ambassador to Japan, Emmanuel Otiotio were among a total of 19 aspirants who also obtained forms and attended the screening exercise ahead of the party’s primary election.

Jonathan’s support for Dickson, not a threat – Sylva

Bayelsa State: Jonathan endorses Dickson for second term

Roland Ogbonnaya

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has endorsed the Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson for a second term citing his excellent track record of regular payment of workers salaries, reduction of the state’s huge debt profile and infrastructural development.

President Jonathan

The former President who spoke while receiving Governor Dickson at his country home, Otuoke in Ogbia Local Government Area of the state, said his decision was based on the developmental strides of the governor in the last three and half years in the state.

He said: “iIf Bayelsa is compared to other states in the country in terms of the level of physical infrastructure coupled with the degree of indebtedness in terms of bank loans and capital market, Dickson deserved to be praised.”

“I am not expecting the governor to score 100 per cent. There are three key parameters I will like to score Governor Dickson which are payment of salaries, physical infrastructure and low indebtedness of the state in terms of bank loans and in the capital markets.

“If you compare what has happened in other parts of the country, you will praise the governor. People should think more of about the way the state is being run and prepared for our future generation.

“Bayelsa is not a cursed state. On the notion that governors in Bayelsa cannot do eight years; it slows down the rate of development and except there is continuation in government, development will be truncated. Performance is not about satisfying individual needs and so we need to encourage Governor Dickson to go for second term.”

He described Dickson as his political first son, adding that if Governor Dickson was given the opportunity of a second term, he would strive to consolidate on the achievements already recorded.

Earlier in his remarks, Dickson had solicited the support and encouragement from Jonathan to run for a second term, stressing that he and his entourage needed to seek his support, as he is the leader of PDP both at the state and national levels.

Dickson who has been canvassing support from stakeholders of the party as well as royal fathers of the state preceding his formal declaration to run for the governorship election had earlier paid homage to the Chairman of the state Traditional Rulers Council, King Alfred Diete Spiff.

The governor, who equated Dr. Jonathan’s support to him to the “Rock of Gibraltar” said his encouragement dated back to 2005 when he served in the former president’s cabinet as Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice.

Bayelsa State: Jonathan endorses Dickson for second term

Dicksons’s aide lacks credibility, political experience to discredit PDP defectors - Group

The Deputy of Chief of Staff to Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, Mrs. Ebizi Brown has come under severe attacks for her comments on the gale of defections which has hit the PDP in the state, where over 100 prominent members the party have decamped with thousands of their supporters to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.

Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson

In a statement signed by the Coordinator of the Change Agents of Nigeria, Bayelsa Chapter, Elizabeth Ajuwa and made available to NF-Reporsts, the group condemned the attempt by the aide to the governor to discredit prominent politicians who had contributed immensely to the sustenance of democracy for 16 years through their membership of the PDP, which today has become a shadow of its former self.

The group wondered why Gov. Dickson’s aide who has no political experience would set a standard to judge those chieftains as spent forces. According to Ajuwa , it is a display of political immaturity, ignorance and executive arrogance from a mediocre whose only known stint in politics and governance is the opportunity offered her by Gov. Dickson at a time when all the key players in the emergence of the governor have abandoned him for a more progressive and proactive party, the APC.

Ajuwa further urged Bayelsans to disregard the comments credited to the political neophyte who does not understand what it means for the best political brains to ditch a party. She said, “the people of Bayelsa know better that the ship of the PDP is sinking with the massive defection which has hit the party under Seriake Dickson, whose high handedness and lack of performance has further decimated the PDP. What we have left in the PDP are remnants of those whose only business is to deceive the people of the state and to share our commonwealth. The earlier the likes of Brown and her party of remnants realize cannot afford to be in the opposition, the better for them to join the change movement of the new Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari”.

The group further dismissed claims by the government that the governor has performed well, saying that what the people of Bayelsa have benefitted from the PDP government for a period of four years is an avalanche of uncompleted projects which have no direct bearing on the people at a time most families are battling for survival.

Ajunwa further advised the government to desist from media hype aimed at promoting a failed government and a party with discordant tunes. The era of falsehood and deception has gone with the coming of a new government at the centre committed to fast tracking development

Dicksons’s aide lacks credibility, political experience to discredit PDP defectors - Group

Jonathan, Dickson meet to regroup for governorship election

Former President Goodluck Jonathan and members of the Peoples Democratic Party Board of Trustees have held a meeting in Otuoke, Bayelsa State, in order to shore up support for the party ahead of the oncoming governorship election.

President Jonathan

Jonathan, along with the state Governor, Seriake Dickson, the acting BoT chairman, Dr. Bello Mohammed, and some leaders of the party met in the former President’s home on Saturday.

The leaders rejected the decision by the state chapter of the party to suspend and expel some party members over alleged party activities.

It was learnt that the meeting which held amidst tight security was peaceful.

Those in attendance at the meeting were Mohammed, the Secretary of the BoT, Senator Walid Jibril, a former Governor of Eboyi State, Senator Sam Egwu, Dr. Cairo Ojugboh and Senator Stella Omu.

Some loyalists of the sanctioned party leaders who included the embattled Chairman of the PDP in Bayelsa State, Col. Sam Inokoba (retd,) claimed that Dickson and a former governor of the state, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, and other party members were barred from attending the meeting due to their non-membership of the BoT.

But Dickson’s loyalists claimed it was not true and they insisted that Dickson was at the meeting from the beginning to the end.

They, however, said some aggrieved party members, including senators and former aides of the President were disallowed due to their alleged “unruly” posture.

They also said that the decision to upturn the sanctions of some members was influenced by Dickson’s disposition for peaceful resolution of the crisis.

It will be recalled that the disciplinary committee of the party had sanctioned some big guns of the party such as Senators Emmanuel Paulker, Nimi Amange, Ayakeme Whiskey, Mrs. Marie Ebikake, Waripamowei Dudafa, Ebikitin Diongoli and Mrs. Remi Kuku, among others.

Since their suspension and expulsion, mass defections had hit the PDP in the state.

This development has threatened the fortunes of the party in the coming governorship election.

It was learnt that Jonathan, worried by the stream of defections, intervened to put a halt to further defections by members.

Bayelsa State Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Godspower Keku, in a statement on Sunday, explained that the decision to overrule the suspension and expulsion of some members was taken in the best interest of the party, especially with a crucial election around the corner.

According to him, the decision to rescind the suspension and expulsion was taken on the request of Governor Seriake Dickson, who is the leader of the party in the state.

Jonathan, Dickson meet to regroup for governorship election

Dickson faults Odigie-Oyegun’s N440bn allocation comment

The Bayelsa State Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, has faulted the position of the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, over claims that Bayelsa had received over N440bn as federal allocations with nothing to show for it.

Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson

Dickson said though his administration was not disturbed by the “distorted and show of ignorance” by the APC on issues of governance and development in the state, the position of Odigie-Oyegun was “ill-informed and uncharitable.”

Dickson was reacting to a statement made on behalf of the APC national chairman by the APC National Vice-Chairman, South-South, Hilliard Eta, while formally receiving a former Chief of Staff, Bayelsa State Government House, Chief Diekivie Ikiogha, who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party.

At the ceremony, which took place at the Community Secondary School, Kpansia, Yenagoa, Odigie-Oyegun was quoted as saying that Dickson’s administration had received about N440bn since its inception without anything to show for the huge sum.

But Dickson in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, on Tuesday, said his administration on assumption of office in February 2012, inherited a massive debt profile of N332bn from the administration of Chief Timipre Sylva.

He said, “Through prudent management and commitment to the ethos of good governance, that debt today stands at N90bn.

“Out of the N440bn that his government received as allocation from the Federation Account, about N242bn was used to help pay that debt even as we embarked on an unprecedented level of infrastructural development and socio-economic welfare schemes.

“This is why the Bayelsa State government considers as very uncharitable, the statement attributed to APC chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, that the government has nothing to show for that allocation from the centre.

“The APC chairman’s posture is highly curious, given that he had warned against defections to his party, after its victory at the March 2015 presidential elections, advising potential defectors to remain in their existing parties and help build a virile opposition in the interest of the development of the nation’s democracy.

“So, why is the APC now welcoming the sudden influx of power prostitutes and fair weather politicians, who spin cock and bull stories into its fold?”

He urged Odigie-Oyegun to kindly leave the Bayelsa government out of the APC’s “growing confusion.”

The governor said that his government was preoccupied with changing the lives of Bayelsa residents for good and that the government was committed to good governance, infrastructural development and empowerment of the people.

“If the APC is expecting the defectors it is now welcoming with open arms to win the governorship election in the state, they will have to wait till eternity. Bayelsans have no time for political miscreants,” he added.

Dickson faults Odigie-Oyegun’s N440bn allocation comment

PDP defectors are greedy – Dickson

Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has lambasted some members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party that have defected to the All Progressives Congress, saying their actions are motivated by greed.

Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson

The governor also criticised some defectors and a body known as the Bayelsa Peoples Consultative Assembly that accused his administration of high-handedness, a statement by his media aide, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, said on Sunday.

Gale of defections has hit the PDP with Saturday’s cross-carpet of Dickson’s former Chief of Staff, Chief Diekivie Ikiogha, and some leaders of the PDP.

Ikiogha had told a crowd that thronged the Kpansia open field of his formal declaration for the APC and that the PDP lacked internal democracy and that it is a party full of betrayals and deceits.

BPCA had recently expressed dissatisfaction with Dickson over alleged high-handedness in running affairs of the state.

The group had wondered whether the strategic interest of Bayelsa State could still be served through the PDP in the race towards development.

But the Governor said the accusations were misplaced, noting that they were only disguised reasons to justify the actions of the body which, he said, was more motivated by greed.

He said, “As a democrat, I believe that the proponents of the BCPA have the inalienable right to association, but also conscious of the moral baggage of such tendency and indeed the motive.

“What is their objective in politics? Obviously this is an opportunistic lobby group, desperately in search of power without any modicum of integrity. They should be reminded that contrary to their assertions, they actually constitute the problem of development in the state and not Governor Seriake Dickson.

“What is playing out is an offshoot of my long running battle with this class of politicians on the proper utilisation of state resources to serve the people and never to serve the greed of the few.

“Their selfish conception of politics and attitude in government are what had retarded development in the state since the era of the late statesman, Chief Melford Okilo.

He said the decision by members of the body to join the APC would not make any difference in the electoral fortune of the PDP in the forthcoming elections.

He added that the people of the state would vote en masse for his reelection in appreciation of his performance in office.

PDP defectors are greedy – Dickson

Dickson blames PDP’s loss in presidential poll on disloyalty

Yenagoa—Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, yesterday, blamed the Peoples Democratic Party,  PDP’s loss at the federal level on what he described as indiscipline and disloyalty of some party members.

He spoke in Yenagoa at the inauguration of a special committee to examine the performance and conduct of the PDP leaders during the just concluded presidential, National and state Assembly elections.

The committee, which is chaired by the state Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha Jonah (rtd), was inaugurated in Government House, Yenagoa and has two weeks to submit an interim report to government.

Dickson said that the committee is also expected to determine and recommend steps to be taken against those who worked contrary to the party’s interests during the general elections.

The governor, who warned that dire consequences await any member of the PDP, who engages in anti-party activities, emphasized the importance of party discipline and loyalty towards achieving success in any political contest.

 

Dickson blames PDP’s loss in presidential poll on disloyalty

Supreme Court Dismisses Sylva"s Appeal against Dickson, Others

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The Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal by former governor of Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva, seeking to be declared the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2012 election held in the state.

The former governor had contended that he ought to have represented the party in the last governorship election in Bayelsa State and not the incumbent governor, Seriake Dickson.

However, ‎in a unanimous decision, the Supreme consisting of five Justices, resolved the two issues raised for determination against the appellant, Sylva.

Justice Sylvester Ngwuta, who read the lead judgement, came down hard on the former governor for wasting the time of the court. He awarded N500,000 cost against Sylva, to be paid to Dickson (3rd respondent).

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the PDP, who were listed as 1st and 2nd defendants, are to bear their costs.

Sylva (then a serving governor) had won the primary election conducted by the party in January 2011 in anticipation that the governorship election would hold later that year.

Before the election, for which he (Sylva) was to stand as the party’s candidate could be held, Sylva got a judgment of a Federal High Court, Yenagoa, extending his tenure. The Court of Appeal upheld the judgment and held that Sylva’s tenure would end on January 28, 2012.

In view of the development, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) rescheduled the governorship election for February 2012. The PDP was prompted to conduct a fresh primary, for which Sylva bought form, got screened along with other candidates, but was dropped by the party. The primary was won by the incumbent governor, Henry Seriake Dickson.

Sylva challenged the party’s decision to drop him.

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Supreme Court Dismisses Sylva"s Appeal against Dickson, Others

Dickson sacks Commissioner over closeness to First Lady

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Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson has sacked the Commissioner for Local Government Administration, Marie Ebikake, and his Special Adviser on Special Projects, Remmy Kuku.

Mrs. Patience Jonathan
| credits: kenetomagazine.blogspot.com

Ebikake and Kuku, it was learnt, were allegedly   fired because of their closeness to the wife of President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience.

There has been no love lost between Dickson and Patience over the latter’s alleged interference in the affairs of the state and   plan to hijack the structure of the Peoples Democratic Party from the former.

The sack of the two aides, which is with immediate effect, is contained     in a special announcement on Monday   by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Daniel Iworiso-Markson.

The governor had in March 2014 sacked seven commissioners in a major cabinet shake-up since his administration came on board in February 2012.

Those affected then were the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Francis Egele; the Commissioner for Trade, Investment and Industry, Ayakeme Massa; and the Commissioner for Health, Anapurere Awoli.

Others were Nelson Belief, Tourism Development; Gesiye Isowo, Special Duties (Federal Projects); Parkinson Macmanuel, Science, Technology and Manpower Development; and Sylvanus Abila,   Environment.

It will be recalled that it was during that   exercise that Ebikake, who has now been removed, was redeployed from the Ministry of Transport to Local Government Administration.

The statement said the governor’s action was in line with his policy of re-organising the machinery of government to deliver on Dickson’s restoration agenda.

It also announced that Dickson had ordered the immediate deployment of the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Markson Fefegha, as his new Principal Executive Secretary.

The statement thanked Ebikake and Kuku for their services to the state and wished them well in their future endeavours.

Meanwhile, Dickson has approved the depoloyment of the Chief of Staff, Government House, Yenagoa, Didi Walson-Jack, to the Federal Civil Service, after three years of service in his government.

A statement on Monday by Iworiso-Markson said Dickson expressed appreciation to Walson-Jack for her commitment and devotion to duty in the various capacities she served during her secondment.

– See more at: http://www.punchng.com/news/dickson-sacks-patience-jonathans-allies/#sthash.AOYCxLeg.dpuf

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Dickson sacks Commissioner over closeness to First Lady

Rift between Jonathan’s wife, Dickson deepens

There is strong indication that the rift between the wife of the President, Dame Patience Jonathan, and Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has deepened.

Patience Jonathan now MAMA PEACE

It was learnt that Bayelsa senators and members of the House of Representatives at the National Assembly had allegedly joined forces with the First Lady against Dickson.

The federal legislators, it was learnt, had formed a strong alliance to counter moves by the Governor and his loyalists to deny them reelection in 2015 through zoning allegedly orchestrated by Dickson.

The aggrieved lawmakers, it was further learnt, had backed the moves by Mrs. Jonathan to replace Dickson with her loyalist in 2016.

The governorship election will take place in 2016.

Recently, it was gathered that some of the senators allegedly held separate meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan and the First Lady in a bid to perfect strategies to outsmart Dickson to get the Peoples Democratic Party tickets for 2015 general elections.

The governor has been locked in the battle of wits with the lawmakers following their interests to return to the National Assembly for second and third terms.

The governor’s camp was said to have through stakeholders’ meetings arrived at decisions to zone the National Assembly positions for the sake of equity, unity and peace.

The development, has undoubtedly created some cracks in state chapter of the PDP resulting in the holding of parallel congresses by the Federal lawmakers to counter moves by Dickson’s loyalists.

It was gathered that following the development that played out during the congresses, Dickson was angry, particularly the alleged plots by Mrs. Jonathan to work against his return in 2016 in addition to the gang up by the national lawmakers to have their way.

The visit last week of the First Lady to the state provided an opportunity for the federal lawmakers to make bold political statement to Dickson’s camp.

At the Samson Siasia Stadium where the President’s wife had gone to distribute empowerment items and cash to Bayelsans under the auspices of the Millennium Development Goals, all the three senators representing the state were in attendance but Dickson was absent.

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Rift between Jonathan’s wife, Dickson deepens