…As PDP Screens Bayelsa, Kogi Gov’ship Aspirants
The Bayelsa Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged aspirants for the forthcoming governorship primaries in the state to focus on their campaigns and to desist from attacking Governor Seriake Dickson.
The caution was contained in a statement issued over the weekend, signed by Bayelsa PDP Secretary, Chief Godspower Keku.
He said: “As Secretary of the Bayelsa State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), I want to again call on the 21 governorship aspirants of the party to devote their energy and attention to their electoral campaigns rather than indulge in acts inimical to the unity of the party as such subversive activities are capable of jeopardising the unity and cohesion within the party.
“I also urge all the aspirants to desist from launching acerbic attacks on the person of the Governor who has provided leadership and nurtured the Bayelsa State PDP for almost eight years.
“With reference to a publication about a non-existent conflict, purportedly between the governor and myself, it is quite unfortunate that a person aspiring to become the next governor, would focus attention on fabricating stories against the person of the Governor Dickson and officials of the PDP.
“It is noteworthy that our party, the PDP, has become the preferred destination of all politicians with genuine intent to govern the state because of the sustained sacrifice and efforts of the party led by Governor Henry Seriake Dickson and the State Working Committee.
“I therefore call on Nigerians to discountenance the false story which I describe as the handiwork of desperate politicians out to sacrifice party cohesion in the pursuit of their selfish agenda.
“Those behind the story are the same aspirants who sponsored five court cases against the successfully conducted Local Government elections in a surreptitious bid to disrupt the peaceful transition process as some aspirants would rather make the governor the object of their needless invectives in a political contest of which he is not a contestant.
“I state clearly here that I was neither scolded nor attacked by the governor for any election related matter and urge Nigerians to ignore the desperate antics of politicians who don’t mean well for the party and the state.”
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party on Monday in Abuja had screened governorship aspirants from Bayelsa and Kogi States.
We gathered that while aspirants from one state will be screened at the party secretariat at Wadata in Abuja, aspirants from the other state will be screened at the party’s complex called Legacy at Maitama in Abuja.
Already the Chairman of the Screening Committee for Kogi State, who is also the Governor of Taraba State, Mr. Darius Isyaku has already arrived at the venue for the screening of Kogi State aspirants.
However, no fewer than 21 male and female aspirants from Bayelsa State and 12 male and female aspirants from Kogi State bought the
expression of interest and governorship nomination forms.
The Kogi State aspirants include a former Kogi State Governor, Capt Idris Wada (retd); Dr Joseph Ameh; Air Vice Marshal Salia Atawodi (retd.); the senator representing Kogi West, Dino Melaye; Abubakar Suleiman; Grace Adejo and Mr Abubakar Ibrahim.
Others are Bayo Averehi, Mohammed Shaibu, Dr Victor Adoji, and Bayo Agberedi.
The aspirants from Bayelsa State include the incumbent deputy governor of the state, Rear Admiral John Jonah; a former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Timi Alaibe; a member representing Sagbama/Ekeremor Federal Constituency, Frederick Agbedi; the senator representing Bayelsa Central Senatorial District, Douye Diri; Mr Tobin Igiri; Mr Anthony George-Ikoli (SAN) and Teriale Oliver among others.
