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Tag: Bayelsa

  • ‘Sylva’s returning to rebuild Bayelsa’

    ‘Sylva’s returning to rebuild Bayelsa’

    Nathan Egba is the Director of Media and Publicity, Timipre Sylva Campaign Organisation and the former Commissioner for Information and Strategy under the Sylva administration. In this interview with Deputy Political Editor RAYMOND MORDI, he argues that the Bayelsa All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate is unstoppable in the December 5 governorship election because of his achievements.   

    Can you give us a background to Sylva’s first coming under the PDP?

    He was in office as a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governor, as you rightly pointed out and the party at that time had a tradition and a way of doing things, which he keyed into. So, there was a sense of impunity and because the state was a PDP state, you could do whatever you wanted and get away with it. As a candidate of the PDP, you are sure you will win the election; there was a certain degree of lack of accountability to the people. So, what matters to those in power was how to get the PDP ticket. But, today, because of the coming of the APC, that situation has changed totally. Again, because of what has happened to Sylva, how he was made to leave office and all the things he experienced while out of office, he has been sufficiently prepared morally, psychologically, mentally and even academically — because he has also used that period to upgrade himself academically — for office than he was previously when he was in office.

    What would you say is Timipre Sylva strongest point?

    The strongest point as a matter of fact is the people of Bayelsa. This is because the man in office today has governed the state so badly that he has singled-handedly popularized Sylva. Indeed, his actions in office are the biggest campaign for Sylva. Let’s be honest, about a year ago, nobody in Bayelsa would have thought of the possibility of a Sylva candidacy or his coming back to govern the state again. Cumulatively, the activities of the present governor have gotten to a point where people have said, look, there is no way we can continue with this man. He is so bad that anybody presented by a major party stands the chance of defeating him. That’s the reason why you have so many contenders for the APC ticket. It is that bad. So, the fact that he has been in office and the things he did while in office, compared to what Governor Seriake Dickson has not been able to do with all the money available to him, people have suddenly discovered that this man they have been vilifying all this while is not as bad as he has been painted. The fact that he was able to do all that he did at the time he was in office, with the little money available to him, suggests that he did well. For instance, he constructed 58 internal roads in the capital; all the roads crisscrossing Yenogoa. There are two parallel roads in Yenogoa. Before Sylva came to power, there are no connecting roads. It was Chief Timipre Sylva’s administration that constructed a network of 52 roads within the capital. With that people can now move freely within Yenogoa. He also did a major waterworks in Yenogoa, but you can’t believe it the present governor came in and, in the name of expanding roads within the capital, dug up the pipes that were to distribute water across the metropolis and threw them away. There is no neighbourhood in Yenogoa today that is enjoying pipe-borne water. This kind of thing is replicated across various sectors. For instance, there is this hospital that was started by the late Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, continued by Goodluck Jonathan and finished by Sylva. As we speak, everything you need to run the hospital is in place; in fact, Chief Sylva was arranging for the commissioning of the hospital before he was kicked off from office. The hospital today is exactly the way Sylva left it. Just because Sylva’s name is associated with the hospital, what did the governor do? He went to the same hospital complex and built another structure, which he called a diagnostic centre and another called doctors’ quarters. Meanwhile, the hospital that the diagnostic centre and the doctors’ quarters are supposed to serve is not functioning yet. His preoccupation is to put up something to overshadow the main project, so that he can then take the glory.

    When Sylva was in office, he came up with the idea of building one or two industries, which would eventually transferred to the private sector. He came up with a plastic industry, which was fully operational. In fact, I don’t have the figures, but I was told that in the first three months, it would have broken even. But, as we speak, the place is locked up and whatever equipment that is inside is rotting away. So, sector by sector, that is the situation. He came into office, instead of building on what is on the ground, he decided to look the other way and allow what others have done to rot away. And because he wanted to impress the people of Bayelsa, he decided to do so many things, but he eventually ended up not being able to commission any of them. The only thing he keeps talking about is one fly-over, which leads to nowhere because the end of the fly-over is the waterside. But, Sylva was able to commission projects under the late President Umaru Yar’Adua and President Jonathan.

    But, the allegation is that Sylva did not do anything….

    That’s exactly what I’m telling you; that’s his approach to govern

    ance and it is a wrong approach to governance. There is a library as we speak, the Bayelsa State Library, it was started by Alamieyeseigha, continued again by Jonathan and finished by Sylva. As we speak, the doors of that library have not been opened since he got to office. But, the question is, what is the project that he did that one can mention? If you ask him, he will say: I have built bridges upon bridges; schools upon schools; hospitals upon hospitals. But, he would mention one specifically. Talking of hospitals, there is a state-of–the–art medical centre in Yenogoa called Diette Koki Memorial Hospital. It was started by Sylva and completed by him. It was former President Jonathan that commissioned it. I recall that he lauded the project, saying it is the type of project he would encourage other governors to emulate. There is also a Law School in Bayelsa. It was started by Sylva, completed and commissioned by him. There is also a school that was supposed to be a skills acquisition centre, but when Dickson took over, he turned it into Bayelsa State College of Education and named it after himself, even though he did not build it. You may recall that there is a hotel, which the former President said Sylva was chased out of office because he failed to complete it. It’s a 20-floor hotel. Sylva took it from the second to the 18th floor. Today, the project is exactly where Sylva left it; the man that benefitted because Sylva didn’t complete it did not touch it himself.

    How united is Bayelsa APC; there are reports of some groups going back to the PDP?

    Two gentlemen, Senator John Brambaifa and Alex Ekiotenne, are behind the defection back to the PDP. Two men rather; I don’t think I can call them gentlemen. They came into the APC in August this year and returned back to the fold October of the same year. This obviously tells you that they came into the APC for a mission, which is to destabilize the party. Two of them, I understand, have been given appointments; one of them as the chairman of the Bayelsa Geographic Information Systems. So, to answer your question, the APC family is united. The two men behind this are interlopers who came into the APC for a mission and they have failed in that mission; that is why they quickly scurried back to the PDP. This does not in any way suggest that the APC family is divided.

    How cordial is the relationship between Alaibe and Sylva after the primaries?

    The relationship between Alaibe and Sylva is very cordial. Why I’m I saying so? This is because I’m very close to Alaibe and I’m Sylva’s spokesman. I can tell you that Alaibe is supposed to have been in this programme, but he went to Abuja for the swearing-in of the ministers and he also has an appointment abroad and is flying out tomorrow. I spoke with him yesterday; he told me that Sylva was at his house here in Lagos four days ago. Don’t forget that Alaibe has issued two statements, declaring support for Sylva. Beyond being a mind-reader, we can only judge with what we see and what we hear.

    In your view, what impact would Jonathan make in the election as former President?

    That’s a very interesting question because there has been a debate whether or not he can sway the votes. I don’t want to criticize Jonathan’s tenure in office, but for Bayelsans to be able to say they will go along with him, they ask themselves what he did for them when he was in office. As we speak, the East-West Road is about 70/75 completed. The only bad portion is the stretch from Bayelsa; if you get into Bayelsa, you will encounter the bad portion; as you leave Bayelsa, the bad portion ends. So, that is all I can say. The only other thing that came into Bayelsa during his tenure is the new federal university, which of course is located in his community.

  • Jonathan to Bayelsa: vote for development

    Jonathan to Bayelsa: vote for development

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday advised the people of Bayelsa, his state, to vote for the development of the state in the December 5 governorship election.

    He appealed to the youths not to be carried away by lies of politicians but to evaluate all the candidates based on their antecedents.

    Jonathan described most politicians as people of many words, who tell many lies to get votes from the people.

    He spoke during the grand finale of the campaigns of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and presentation of flags to Governor Seriake Dickson in Yenagoa, the state capital.

    Leaders of the PDP attended the rally which held at the Samson Siasia Sports Complex.

    Chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum and Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, National Chairman of the PDP, Chief Uche Secondus, and other party leaders were in attendance.

    Others were Senator Nimi Barigha-Amange, State Chairman, PDP, Chief Serena Dokubo-Spiff, Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral John Jonah (retd.), among other personalities.

    Jonathan urged the youths to vote for a person that would develop the state insisting that Dickson deserved reelection considering his giant strides in all facets of life in Bayelsa.

    He said: “So, for the Bayelsa young people, do not be carried away by politicians. Politicians are people of many words, they go to so many places, talking to so many people, telling so many lies.

    “So, do not listen to what people say, but assess what people have done over the period. Most of the candidates are well known to you, so it is the choice of Bayelsa young people to vote for development of this state or to vote for the retrogression of this state. It is the choice of Bayelsa young people to vote for education of our youths or to vote for the retrogression of our young people.

    “The choice is ours and I think you will think beyond yourselves. At our age, we are looking down, we are not looking up, whether you like it or not. So, think about your children and your grandchildren, think about building a state for your children and grandchildren, do not think about what you will swallow in the morning and I believe that the steps so far taken by Dickson has shown me that he wants development of this state.

    “Dickson has encouraged development in this state. He is committed, he has that vision and all the projects he has been carrying on show that the young man is seeing Bayelsa beyond today. No leader can change a nation if you do not see beyond your nose.

    “I am telling the young people, this election is not for Jonathan and Dickson, the election is for you to vote for your liberation, to live in peace and to live in developed society.”

    On his part, Dickson told the All Progressives Congress (APC) that there was no vacancy in Bayelsa.

    He claimed that he would win the forthcoming election by 99 per cent, saying that his main rival,  Timipre Sylva of APC should celebrate if he is able to win his ward in Okpoama,  Brass during the poll.

    He sued for peace in the state and urged the youth not be intimidated by the opposition.

    Dickson said: “I will win the poll round and square, by at least 99 per cent. Do not allow anybody to intimidate you.”

    In his remarks, Mimiko urged Bayelsans to vote wisely and not to be swayed by politicians preaching change.

    He said: “The APC promised us change but we know the change they have brought to us.  There are unending queues at filling stations and many things are working in the opposite. Bayelsans should shine their eyes.

    “Bayelsans should vote for Dickson for continuity and consolidation of his programmes and projects in the state. Dickson is a man who keeps his promises. His Restoration agenda must continue. Do not be deceived by the antics of the opposition, they have nothing to offer,” Mimiko stated.

     

  • Bayelsa: What’s Jonathan’s worth?

    Bayelsa: What’s Jonathan’s worth?

    For long, there was speculation that the icy relationship between former President Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Seriaka Dickson would be a major hurdle for the re-election bid of the governor. But given Jonathan’s recent declaration that he will rally support for the People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP) candidate, Associate Editor, Sam Egburonu, reports on the likely effect of Jonathan’s last-minute support in determining the results of December 5, 2015 Bayelsa Governorship Election

    Before May 29, 2015, when he officially packed away from Aso Rock, the news was that the then President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, Dame Patience Jonathan, had denied Governor Seriaka Dickson of their support for the Peoples Democratic Party’s governorship primaries in this year’s election. Many analysts argued then that without Jonathan’s support, the re-election bid of the governor on the ticket of PDP would only remain a mirage.

    But Jonathan first gave an open hint of his resolution to lend his weight behind Dickson in an event early September, at the Samson Siasia Sports Complex, soon before Dickson emerged PDP candidate.  It was the first public outing of the former president in Bayelsa after leaving office as the President of Nigeria. Accompanied to the event by his wife, Patience, Jonathan shocked many when he unambiguously urged the people to support the second term ambition of Dickson.

    Jonathan observed that as former president, he had the privilege of traveling to all the 36 states, including Abuja, to see things himself, adding that he “has taken notice of the remarkable performance of Dickson restoration administration within three and half years in office, considering the critical terrain and dwindling resources of Bayelsa State.”

    Expressing his joy at the open support then, Dickson had boasted that “with all the 105 councilors, eight local government chairmen, 21, out of the 23 declared seats in the state House of Assembly, all the three senators, five members of the House of Representatives and all the commissioners and Special Advisers and Senior Special Assistants, Special Assistants,” all of them PDP members with him, he is sure of victory at the governorship election.

    But as it stands today, with the defection of many of his supporters to the rival APC, it appears so much has changed that even Dickson’s most ardent followers are more courteous while boasting of outright victory in the December 5, 2015 election.  By the beginning of November, it is on record that members of the State Working Committee (SWC) of PDP, including aides of Governor Dickson and thousands of notable PDP supporters had openly defected to APC in the state notwithstanding Jonathan’s support for Dickson.

    Amongst the SWC members that defected to APC at public functions are the Assistant Secretary, Ben Oliver, the Assistant Organising Secretary, Miriam Kingsley and an ex-officio member, Diepreye Alagha.

    Also, two governor’s aides, who resigned their appointments and declared for APC during the campaign inauguration and presentation of flag in Sagbama town, Sagbama Local Government were Oberighakuma Yousou and Ayobegha James.

    The Nation had reported that Miriam attracted the crowd’s sympathy when she narrated her ordeal in the hands of her former party. She said: “I was in bondage, but now I’m crossing over to Canaan. I am happy that I have seen the light. I will no longer go back to Pharaoh.”

    Such solidarity has remained so consistent for the APC candidate, former governor Timipre Sylva, that informed observers said the result of the Saturday governorship election is difficult to predict. This is because both the incumbent governor, Dickson who flies the flag for PDP and the APC candidate, former governor Sylva are no pushovers. They both have strong political party, grassroots support and the necessary machinery to win the election. This being the case, observers are still wondering if Jonathan’s support can be the changing factor.

    How far can Jonathan’s factor go?

    Political influence of former President Goodluck Jonathan, who sources said empowered many young men and women from the state and his wife’s influence through the mobilization of women of the area through her NGOs are some of the salient factors Dickson is hoping to utilize in his quest to return to the Creek House. But whether these would write off APC and Sylva’s interest remains a major controversy.

    According to Dr. Israel Ibinabo, “You cannot distinguish between the influence of Jonathan and that of his wife or the movement built around the streetwise influence of the former governor, Governor-General Alamieyeiseigha. In Yenegoa here, people believe only a combination of these forces would give Dickson an edge. The way our people think here, the sentiment already built around the support of these people is even more potent than the power of incumbency. This is not to deny the love a common Bayelsan has for former Governor Sylva, who we feel was badly treated by PDP in spite of his genuine efforts to make tangible impact. So, for me, it is a 50-50 case, Jonathan or no Jonathan.”  Mrs. Janet Dikivie also argued that the result of next Saturday’s election would be determined by the common electorates not the so-called influence of political godfathers. “Our people are no fools. We know what we want. The contest is not between godfather Jonathan or Alamieyeiseigha and any other candidate. No! So, nobody will deceive us by flaunting these names. We know the contest is between Dickson and Sylva. They are not new comers in Bayelsa politics. They are incumbent governor and former governor respectively, so we know them very well and what we know them to be or to represent is what will influence our voting pattern. So, to me, Bayelsa governorship election this Saturday is not dicey as you people speculate because we already know the candidates,” she said.

    From such critical responses, it seems while Jonathan’s influence may play a part in this Saturday’s election, it may not be the primary determinant of the result of the election. The contest remains between PDP as a political party and APC or more appropriately between Dickson and Sylva. It remains to be seen, who the people will chose.

  • Bayelsa 2015: Last minute manoeuvres and permutations

    Bayelsa 2015: Last minute manoeuvres and permutations

    The much anticipated December 5, 2015 governorship election in the oil-rich Bayelsa State is barely a week away. The incumbent governor is up in a political battle against a former governor in an election that pundits predict would be keenly contested. Assistant Editor, Dare Odufowokan, reports on the various political moves that may decide where the pendulum will swing.

    In Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa State, as well as in other towns and communities of the oil rich state, anxiety hangs in the air. The people, politicians and non-politicians alike, wait in anticipation as the much awaited date of the next governorship election in the state draws nearer. Whenever and wherever people are gathered in twos, threes and fours, the topic on every lip is the guber contest.

    Pundits say the reason for the unusual keen interest of the people of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s home state is the equally unusual serious threat posed to the sixteen year old reign of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by the All Progressives Congress (APC), whose candidate, former Governor Timipre Sylva, has vowed to remove Governor Seriake Dickson and his party, the PDP, from the Creek House.

    Although there are other candidates like Moses Siasia of the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM), Ogoriba Timiniderimo Kaiser of the Labour Party (LP) and Christopher Fullpower Enai of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), in the race, analysts put the contest down as a straight fight between Sylva of the APC and Dickson of the PDP.

    “The presence of these two political gladiators and age-long rivals in the race is the major reason for the anxiety we now see in the political landscape of the state. Before now, not much was anticipated about governorship elections in Bayelsa State. That was before the coming of Sylva and the APC.

    “As you can see now, the election is going to be keenly contested. From the word go, the two parties have left nobody in doubt about their seriousness to do everything possible to win this election. The people have been unusually mobilized and dragged into the nitty-gritty of the campaigns by the politicians. The campaigns we saw here were also unusual. It is as if everything depends on victory for both parties. The tension generated by the activities of politicians in the last few months have been huge,” Lucas Bede, a Yenagoa-based pro-democracy activist told The Nation.

    At some points, the two camps engaged in allegations and counter-allegations. Accusations of violent acts flew around just as politically motivated attacks intensified. The national leadership of the PDP soon alleged that the APC was inciting violence in the state. The party in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, said the APC was making this plot with a view to cause confusion, frustrate the electoral process and possibly impede the forthcoming governorship election in the state.

    It said the APC, having realised that it does not have the support of the electorates, employed devious machinations, including violence to terrorize the people, disrupt and eventually truncate the elections. The party said: “The imprints of the APC could be felt in the growing cases of political violence in Bayelsa ahead of the December 5 governorship elections. The APC has perfected a heinous plot to inject crisis in Bayelsa, ostensibly to frustrate the electoral procedures within the constitutional time frame, so as to prevent PDP candidate, Governors Seriake Dickson from being re-elected.

    But the APC was to raise an alarm over incessant attacks on its chieftains by people allegedly working for the PDP-led state government. The party claimed the harassment was being carried out by a support group of Governor Dickson, the Bayelsa Volunteer Force (BVF). The lawmaker representing Brass Constituency 1 in the State House of Assembly, Mr Israel Sunny-Goli, claimed that the APC was inundated with calls of attack on residents and drivers who ply the Okaka road, near the secretariat of the BVF.

    “We have it on good authority that the dastardly act being carried out by more than fifty armed boys followed the directive of the Secretary of the Volunteer Force and former Chairman of Southern Ijaw Local Government Council, Mr Bonny Ayah, popularly called Inikiyor. The campaign organisation has uncovered plots by the leadership of the Bayelsa Volunteers Force to commence the house-to-house raid of known APC members to harm and intimidate them on behalf of their principal, Governor Seriake Dickson,” he said.

     

    Deft moves

    Worried by the spate of violence, Dickson and Sylva signed a peace pact with an undertaking to ensure a peaceful and violence-free governorship election.  Eighteen other governorship candidates and their party chairmen also signed the peace accord witnessed by the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu.

    Yakubu was represented by INEC National Commissioner, representing North-West, Mrs. Amina Zakari. Also in attendance were the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Nasiru Oki; state Director of Department of State Services (DSS), Ade Oluseso; the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr. Baritor Kpagih; traditional rulers and other stakeholders.

    Yakubu, in his address presented by Zakari, he said the commission has been closely monitoring and following the activities of the parties, candidates and supporters pursuant to the mandate of the commission, noting that while the majority of activities and campaigns have been going on peacefully and in accordance with extant laws, rules and regulations, however pointing out that there has been reports and unsubstantiated allegations of breaches of peace.

    But it wasn’t just anxiety and violence that characterized the electioneering campaigns of the two leading parties. In their bids to outwit each other, the APC and the PDP made some deft political moves to woo the electorates to their sides ahead of the make or mar governorship contest that is now barely a week away.

    In one of such moves, Sylva and his campaign team, led by the Minister of State for Agriculture, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, stormed Sagbama, the local government council of the state governor and candidate of the PDP, Hon. Seriake Dickson. The campaign in Sagbama afforded Sylva the opportunity to talk of his plans to return the state to the era of opulence and prosperity if elected into office.

    By this time, the messages of hope and prosperity, delivered by the APC and Sylva had spread like wild fire attracting more decampees from the PDP, including over eight aides of the governor,  including the State Commissioner for Lands and Survey, Furuebi Akene. The flag bearers of 10 other political parties in the state, led by the APGA’s flag bearer, Chief Christopher Enai, also joined the APC.

    However, at the campaign in Sagbama, the National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, who affirmed the sincerity in the promises made to the people of the state by the party’s flag bearer, took a swipe at the state governor, over the poor performance in office in the last four years, describing him as a pretender in the area of good governance.

    Oyegun, said the last four years of the Governor Seriake Dickson administration in the State has been characterised by poverty and under development. Many analysts have opined that the outcome of Sylva’s Sagbama rally will have tremendous impact on the performance of the APC in the area during the governorship election.

    Not to be outwitted, Dickson, soon landed at Sylva’s country home, Okpoama, in grand style in company of leading party chieftains. He wasted no time before assuring the people of his administration’s resolve to award the multi- billion naira Nembe-Brass Road during the first quarter of 2016, if re-elected for a second term in office.

    Dickson, who was received by the Okpoama Council of chiefs, commended the people of the area for their support and the large turnout, adding that it was a testimony to the fact that the people of Brass Local Government Area were in support of the PDP-led administration.

    He said the road project would be given  attention as it would enable the administration achieve its policy of linking up mainland Yenagoa up to the Atlantic Ocean to enhance socio-economic development. According to him, clearing and sand filling would be done in earnest as soon as the project is awarded to a competent contractor.

    It was political moves and counter moves like the ones above that informed the position of many analysts that it is too early to say where the pendulum will swing on December 5. According to Chidi Enai of the Civil Liberty Organisation (CLO), the people of Bayelsa are the final deciders of this election.

    Both the PDP and the APC have done very well in their efforts to convince the people of their good intentions. The two candidates, Dickson and Sylva, are known to the people across the state. They both have track records by which they can be judged by the electorates. Having both been governors before, none is a pushover in this contest,” he said.

     

    A legal twist

    However, worried about the rising profile of the APC in the state, and determined to stop Sylva from sacking them from the Creek House in Yenagoa, the PDP and Governor Dickson waited till the last days of the electioneering campign before introducing a legal twist into the December 5 governorship election by instituting a legal action aimed at disqualifying Sylva from the race on the grounds that he had been elected twice and no longer eligible.

    In what many observers have described as a surprise political move, Dickson and the PDP approached the Federal High Court in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, seeking for Sylva’s disqualification. They argued that Sylva had been elected twice as governor of Bayelsa State in 2007 and 2008. The 2007 election, they recalled, was nullified by the Court of Appeal and Sylva contested and won the re-run election in 2008 whereupon he was elected the second time and served for a cumulative period of about four years and seven months as governor of Bayelsa State.

    To the PDP and its candidate, Sylva now seeks to be elected a third time as governor of the state in the forthcoming election. In the suit No. CV/70/15 Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson & ANOR vs Chief Timipre Sylva & ORS, the plaintiffs are seeking the court to determine whether Sylva, the candidate of the APC for the December 5 governorship election in Bayelsa State is qualified to contest as a candidate in the light of the provisions of Section 182 (1) (b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended.

    Section 182 (1) (b) states that no person shall be qualified for election to the office of Governor of a state if “he has been elected to such office at any two previous elections”. The PDP and its candidate, Seriake Dickson are seeking interpretation of this section of the constitution and the court to determine whether Sylva who, having already been elected and served for a cumulative period of about four years and seven months as the governor of the state is qualified to seek for re-election a third time for a fresh term of four years.

    To the plaintiff, allowing Sylva to contest in the December 5 governorship election would mean that he would be serving more than the maximum period of eight years allowed by the constitution, hence his ineligibility.

    But the APC candidate says the suit is nothing more than an exercise in futility meant to merely distract the APC and confuse the voters.

    “But you should know that I am still eligible and qualified to contest under the law,” he said while dismissing the latest move to stop him from contesting the December 5 election. According to the former governor, the PDP is scared of the growing popularity of the opposition APC in the state, that explains why they are trying to use the court to stop him from the race.

     

    The permutations

    To Elder Asu Beks, President, Ijaw People’s Assembly, Sylva is the man to beat on December 5. He insists the odds favor APC more than the ruling PDP in the forthcoming election. “In 2011 when Sylva ran for re-election, his major challenger was an incumbent President, Goodluck Jonathan, who carried the banner of the party at the centre. The story is however slightly different in 2015. On December 5, Chief Sylva’s main challenger, is Governor Seriake Dickson, a man who has been openly rejected by the old and young, men and women due to his anti-people policies in the past four years.

    “Don’t also forget that our people have had a long history from the days of late Melford Okilo, of not playing opposition politics and since APC is at the centre, it should be expected that Chief Timipre Sylva would have a clean sweep. And if you also consider the fact that Chief Sylva was a youth and gender friendly governor during his first term you can be rest assured that December 5 would be a mere formality. The people of Bayelsa crave for change and the change is Chief Timipre Sylva,” Beks said.

    But Dickson believes his predecessor and governorship candidate of the APC, Timipre Sylva, is not a match for him in the December 5 governorship election in Bayelsa State.  “I do not see anybody seriously contesting against me, not even my good friend and brother Sylva and his APC. They are only holding meetings in Abuja and threatening their own fathers, mothers and brothers that they will use federal forces to come and overrun their own people for their own purpose not for the development of our state,” the governor boasted.

    Beks however disagrees with Dickson. According to the Ijaw leader, the track records of the two are enough for the electorates to pitch their tent with Sylva and APC in the December 5 election.

    “Now lets go down memory lane. Chief Sylva took over as governor of Bayelsa in May 2007 at a time where militancy in the Niger Delta was at its peak, youth restiveness in the region was at its peak occasioned by the call for the enforcement of the Kaiama declaration. The JTF and Niger Delta Militants were engaged in daily confrontation. Oil installation and expatriates working in the region were no longer secure.

    As a proactive and youth friendly leader, Sylva then approached late President Yar’Adua with an olive branch where he presented a blueprint for peace in the Niger Delta which ultimately led to the establishment of the Federal Government Amnesty Programme. And this was how the Niger Delta youths laid down their arms and embraced peace. Today, it is on record that this singular gesture of Chief Timipre Sylva won for him various accodates both from local and international bodies.

    But barely four years after Chief Sylva stepped aside, Bayelsa has now become the hotbed of kidnappers. All the structures that he put in place to curtail violence and criminality was dismantled by Governor Dickson and rather than take responsibility for his failure, he has gone on a wild goose chase and name calling, nothing could be more unpatriotic,” he argued.

    Disagreeing and insisting that the PDP will win the next governorship election, Dickson says contrary to Beks’ position, Sylva didn’t perform well during his first stint as governor. “This is a man who had been here for five years. Where are his statistics of development, he asked? “What did he do for Bayelsa? He is only playing on the nature, fears and greed, the envy and jealousy of our people.

    “There is nothing in their politics for the people of Bayelsa State other than putting some bad bellied people together t fight me. Because I did not allow them to go to Senate for a third time, so I must not go for second term. Even the people in their communities know they have a governor they can trust; they know when I make a promise, I keep it. All the promises I made in the course of the tour I am fulfilling right away. Leadership is about trust and responsibility, building not destroying,” the governor added.

  • 8, 000 ad hoc staff for Bayelsa guber poll -INEC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Bayelsa has said that more than 8, 000 ad hoc staff would be engaged in the Dec.5 governorship election in the state.

    Mr Baritor Kpagih, the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yenagoa on Saturday.

    He said that the commission’s permanent staff would also be actively involved in the conduct of the election.

    “We will involve ad hoc staff, more than 8, 000 of them will be recruited; definitely in election period, most of our permanent staff are always involved.

    “The ad hoc staff have been trained on what they should be doing while on duty; some of them were trained at the local government area headquarters.

    “INEC in Bayelsa is working with the electoral guidelines and we will continue to do our best in ensuring that the governorship election in the state is succesful,’’ he said.

    Miss Chinelo Okoafor, a member of the National Youth Service Corps in Bayelsa, told NAN that she was one of the trainees, saying that she was ready to work in accordance with INEC guidelines.

    “During the training we were taught so many things, I believe we are going to ensure the most credible and acceptable election,’’ she observed.

  • Bayelsa: Navy hands over rescued woman to Police

    Bayelsa: Navy hands over rescued woman to Police

    Commodore Yakubu Wanbai, the Commander, Nigerian Navy Naval Base, Yenagoa, on Friday handed over a woman rescued from kidnappers on Bayelsa waterways to the Bayelsa Police Command.

    Wanbai handed over the victim, Mrs Tokoni TrustGod, to police representatives, CSP James Ejure, from Criminal Investigation Department, and Mr Richard Ogwuche of the Anti Kidnap Squad of Bayelsa Police Command.

    Ejure, who received TrustGod from the commander, stressed the need for the security agencies in Bayelsa to continue to work together to effectively fight crime.

    He commended the Navy for the feat and assured that the Police would conduct ‘’discrete investigations’’ into the matter with a view to apprehending the alleged kidnappers for prosecution.

    Wanbai told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) shortly after the handing over, that the kidnappers had struck residence of the victim at about 2 a.m in Angiama-Gbene on Thursday.

    “My men on patrol in the waterways got a distress call and the gunboat headed to the scene of the incident.

    ‘’The suspected kidnappers, whose speedboat had developed a fault, abandoned their victim and fled on sighting the patrol boat.

    “My men rescued the woman and brought her to the base, in line with the existing inter-agency cooperation, we handed over the woman to the Police for preliminary investigations,’’ he said.
    Narrating her ordeal, TrustGod told NAN that the kidnappers, numbering five and armed with gun and machetes, invaded her residence at Angiama-Gbene.

    She said that the event took place in the early hours of Thursday, adding that the kidnappers later abducted her.

    “They broke into the house and asked me if I was Prof. Millionaire Ambowei’s sister and I told them that I wasn’t.

    ‘’They said that I was lying and took me away to the water side where they put me in a speedboat.

    “When we got to Olagbene, their boat developed fault and also ran out of fuel.

    ‘’When they saw an oncoming boat, they fled into the bush, I also ran away and the people in the boat took me and hid me in the neighbouring community.

    “Shortly afterward, the kidnappers who had fixed their boat came back to the place I was kept and shot severally, threatening to kill the people if I was not produced.

    ‘’They brought me out and left with me for the waterside.

    “We boarded the kidnappers’ boat again, but at this point the Navy patrol team arrived, and we heard the sound of the Navy gunboat.

    ‘’It was at this point that the kidnappers abandoned their boat and escaped into the bush, and when the Navy people came I cried out to them that I was the one held hostage.

    “The Navy men took me in their boat and brought me to Yenagoa,” TrustGod said.

    TrustGod said that Ambowei was her husband’s brother, based in Port Harcourt.

     

  • War in Bayelsa over oil spills

    War in Bayelsa over oil spills

    There is tension in Ayamabele, Kalaba and Akumoni communities of Okordia clan in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. The crisis was triggered by oil spills from a pipeline belonging to the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC). The spills were not ordinary. They were massive and they occurred from 24 points on the pipeline at the same time.

    According to a preliminarya report released by the Environment Right Action and Friends of the Earth (ERA/FoE), each point spewed high volume of crude oil into the environment. But the report which was signed by Alagoa Morris and Akpotu Ziworitin blamed it on sabotage and third party interference.

    The incident almost degenerated to arms struggle. Shortly after the report of the sabotage, troops of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) attempted to visit the spill sites. It was gathered that they only successfully visited two points. They were unable to proceed following gunshots fired by some persons in the bush.

    It was learnt that armed youths who were said to be responsible for the sabotage fired the gunshots. They were reportedly from Akumoni community. Rattled by the development, NSCDC operatives retreated, reinforced and came back.

    This time, they were accompanied by operatives of their sister security agency, the Operation Pulo Shield (OPS) formerly Joint Task Force(JTF), officials of NAOC, recovery contractor, pipeline surveillance contractors, and community youth leaders.

    With some tact of civility and diplomacy, the leader of OPS, adopted dialogue to bring the warring youths to a discussion table. An understanding was reached without anybody firing a gunshot. The parties were said to have agreed that Agip should be allowed to mobilise to sites to clamp a d repair the spill points. It was further gathered that a meeting was convened by Agip in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, to iron out issues that led to the sabotage.

    Why youths attack the pipeline

    One of the arm-bearing youths said they were angry with Agip. The aggrieved youth who identified himself as Elemofru Davidson, said the oil firm abandoned previous spills that damaged the environment. He said the company turned deaf ear to their entreaties that the environment should be cleaned of old spills.

    He said: “The Agip oil bearing pipeline has ruptured and the spilled crude oil is now impacting everything in the environment; fauna and flora. We begged Agip to come and clean-up the previously impacted environment but they refused. And we have taken a step and now their agents have come to see the place.

    “We are begging the government to talk to Agip; let them come and clean their oil because we do not have enough land for our livelihood and this bush is where we engage for livelihood such as fishing, farming, hunting and other things.

    “With the current situation, you will agree with me that we can no longer get fish and other animals here. So, we are begging government; government should talk to Agip let them come and clean the oil. Yes, because if they dont come and clean-up from now till January, 2016 ; I think Agip will still come back here again for more clamping.

    “If we dont do something it will not attract Agip to come. So Agip always want us to do something to attract them. Like I said, if they dont come and clean up this oil from now to December, 2015; we, I am assuring you that I am second in Command to Commander Ebi. And I will make sure that we return and carry out actions on the pipeline; they will not sleep. Their personnel will not sleep if they fail to take heed and do the needful.

    Also, the Youth President of Ayamabele community, Mr. Akadumeme Raymond, said he was part of the persons who intervened nerves of the youths. He said the youths, after dialogue assured that the incident would not happen again.

    He said: “I can say that peace will reign now because we met the aggrieved party and they told Agip representatives, the repairs contractor and three communities that they wont continue with this kind of act again.

    “The company and communities have also reached an understanding that from today onward such would not happen again on the pipeline. The assurance that this ugly incident will not repeat itself was given by the aggrieved youths from Akumoni, who are responsible for the spill incidents.

    ERA’s report observed that the current spill points was the highest number in the history of spill incidents in Okordia Clan and the entire Bayelsa State. It discovered that some of the spill points were close to each other with a distance of just four or five meters apart.

    ERA demanded that the government and Agip should meet the company’s contractual obligation to local contractors.

    “The government and Agip should set up an effective conflict resolution apparatus accessible to any aggrieved parties. The concept is to nip in the bud any matter before it gets to the point of violence; especially if such a body will effectively address related issues without bias.

    “Agip should endeavor to fulfill its own part of whatever agreements willingly reached with community leaders/groups and contractors to avoid being blamed in the future.

    It called on regulatory agencies, the National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), State Ministry of Environment and Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) to ensure that JIV and clean-up are done.

     

  • Siasia: Bayelsa has brighter future

    Siasia: Bayelsa has brighter future

    The Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) governorship candidate in Bayelsa state, Moses Siasia, has called on the youths to join him in building a prosperous future for the state.

    Siasia was received in Yenagoa, the state capital, by thousands of youths as he unfolded his programes at the Samson Siasia Stadium, named after his elder brother and coach of the Under-23 Football Team, Samson Siasia.

    The 35-year old businessman said that, having achieved so much in business, where he has employed over 400 young professionals, he has what it takes to govern the state.

    He said: “My administration will diversify the state’s economy through agriculture and tourism to make Bayelsa an economic hub in the Southsouth geo-political zone. I will increase workers’ minimum wage from N18, 000 to N25, 000, while there would be prompt payment of gratuity to pensioners.”

    Siasia saiud he will focus on a two-point agenda of job creation and education.

    He sadded:“In achieving these two points agenda, we would also address the key strategic sectors like quality health delivery by ensuring the health sector earned the trust and respect of the people. We will partner with the Federal Government and other stakeholders in the improvement of electricity.

    “We would explore other sustainable sources of affordable energy. The rural areas will no longer be thrown into darkness. We would introduce electronic badge system for security.

    “The government will ease means of transportation by establishing a drive and own tucking system, build trailer parks, invest in water taxi system for the riverine communities among others”

    “We would boost agriculture and make it attractive and rewarding. We will tackle the security challenges in the state to ensure that Bayelsans can go to bed with both eyes closed and also earn the trust of investors. Bayelsa will become the hub of tourism and technology advancement”

    The said he will be the first governor to serve with a woman deputy governor in Bayelsa State, adding that women would occupy 40 per cent of government appointments.

    He urged Bayelsans, particularly youths, to avoid mortgaging their future with peanuts. He said they should vote according to their conscience during the election.

    His running mate, Mrs Irene Opuene, urged the people  to vote for Siasaia, stressing that the ticket is people-driven

     

    She added: “It is our turn to participate in government.  Siasia is your son who has empowered other youths and women in our land. Remember, this movement is about that farmer in Nembe whose farm has been destroyed by oil spillage with no compensation.

    “It is about our young ladies that have been forced into prostitution by bad government. It is about the people in Yenegoa who have no portable water to drink.  The movement is not about Moses and Irene but it is your quest for purposeful leadership and transformation.

    “It is about the cry of our people against imposition and recycling of old hands. Moses Siloko Siasia is opportune to be at the forefront of the movement. We have no godfather but God and you, the good people of Bayelsa.”

     

  • Sylva unveils blueprint for Bayelsa

    Sylva unveils blueprint for Bayelsa

    The standard bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva, has written off his main opponent in the December 5 governorship election in the state, Governor Seriake Dickson of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying the incumbent has nothing to showcase, to convince the electorates to re-elect him.

    Speaking at a stakeholders’ forum in Lagos, to unveil his blueprint for the development of the state, Sylva said the opportunity of becoming governor again will afford him the chance of resuscitating the numerous projects he initiated during his first coming, but was not able to complete and commission before he left office. He accused Dickson of abandoning all the projects he initiated when he was the governor of the oil-rich state in 2012.

    Before an enthusiastic audience of party members, supporters and private sector moguls, the former governor rolled out a four-pronged programme which he said will “liberate the people of my state from the poverty and fear.” The four pillars are: to enhance revenue and diversify the economy; to enhance job and wealth creation; to focus on wellbeing and security; and to create an effective public service.

    In the presentation, which lasted about 35 minutes, Sylva said the people of Bayelsa State have keyed into the change mantra of the APC and are looking forward to meaningful leader and that his programmes are integrated and designed to affect the lives of Bayelsans at all levels.

    Upon assumption of office, if re-elected, he said his strategy would be to immediately harvest what he called the low-hanging fruits, embark on the completion of the numerous uncompleted projects that have been abandoned by the current administration and then start new ones.

    On the first pillar, he said it would entail agricultural development, infrastructure renewal and tourism. He noted that a diversified economy that focuses on agriculture and commodity value chains like rice, fisheries and palm oil would put Bayelsa State on the right track.

    Under the second pillar of job and wealth creation, Sylva said he would concentrate on youth empowerment and capacity building, through the improvement in the quality of education, improvement of access to small and micro business financing and through youth training and skill development programmes.

    He regretted that many of the projects he started while in office have either been abandoned or distorted by the Dickson administration. For instance, he said the skill acquisition project at Eletele, which he had already completed but not commissioned before he left office, has been converted to a school of basic studies named after Governor Dickson.

    “There is another one we built in Asuama, in Kolokpo/Kokpomo area, with live-in facilities — we were to build a jetty there — to train divers and other technicians. That project has been abandoned,” he added.

    Sylva said he had hoped that the Brass Liquidified Natural Gas (LNG) project was going to be a reality during the time of the past administration. He added: “Unfortunately, I was wrong. At a time we had the President of the Federal Republic and the Minister of Petroleum Resources — the most powerful ever Minister of Petroleum Resources from Bayelsa State — the administration could not achieve Brass LNG in Bayelsa.

    “This is very sad; this would have actually given us a lot of mileage in employment generation. But, I’m happy to announce that the Brass Fertilizer Project is on. We will encourage the promoters of that project to realize their dream, because it will be for the benefit of Bayelsans.”

    Sylva said the third transformation pillar of well-being and security will rest on improving access to healthcare services, peace and conflict resolution, and maintaining a sustainable environment.

    On the fourth pillar, Sylva said the vision of the APC government under him is to create an effective public service, with a renewed focus on performance and service delivery. He added: “Whatever you do, without an effective public service, we will achieve nothing. Under this pillar, we will among other things, harmonise the civil servants with the policy thrust of the APC government.”

    Earlier, the head of his campaign and Minister of State for Agriculture, Chief Heineken Lokpobri, praised the candidacy of Sylva, saying that about 75 per cent of Bayelsans have indicated their zeal to vote out incumbent Governor Seriake Dickson during the December 5 election.

    The Director of Press and Publicity of the Timipre Sylva Campaign Organisation, Mr. Nathan Egba, said today the APC standard bearer is much more prepared for office morally, psychologically and even academically than he was during his first coming under the banner of the PDP. He said the ordeal he went through after becoming governor, because of the way and manner he clinched the PDP ticket and the general attitude within the party, made it difficult for him to concentrate on his work.

    Egba said Sylva took part in the 2006 governorship primary, against the wishes of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who had instructed formidable aspirants like Timi Alaibe not to take part in the contest, to pave the way for the emergence of Goodluck Jonathan. He said: “After Jonathan was made the Vice Presidential running mate to Umaru Yar’Adua, the party wanted a more loyal person to take up the governorship ticket, but Sylva rejected the idea, saying the best thing is to go for the person that came second in the primary. They could not suppress it, because it was a compelling argument. From that moment, they did everything possible to undermine him and his administration.”

    He refuted insinuations that the over 1,000 APC members led by Senator John Brambaifa and Alex Ekiotenne who reportedly defected back to the PDP recently have affected the standing of the opposition party in the state.

    He said: “The two men behind the defection back to the PDP came into the APC in August this year and returned back to the fold October of the same year. This obviously tells you that they came into the APC for a mission, which is to destabilize the party. So, to answer your question, the APC family is united. The two men behind this are interlopers who came into the APC for a mission and they have failed in that mission; that is why they quickly scurried back to the PDP.”

     

  • We are committed to free, fair election, says Dickson

    We are committed to free, fair election, says Dickson

    The Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Seriake Dickson, has assured the international community of his administration’s commitment to ensuring a peaceful election in the state on December 5.

    The governor who is the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the election spoke on Thursday when the US Consul-General in Nigeria, John Bray, visited him to discuss issues bordering on the poll.

    Dickson said as part of his preparations for the election, he was on a campaign and sensitisation tour of communities across the state.

    The governor said he was also using the opportunity to educate the people on the essence of a violence-free election, describing himself as an advocate of free, fair and credible polls.

    He accused the opposition of boasting to use federal might and other various agencies of government to rig the poll.

    He further claimed that the opposition was using intimidation and threats of violence to scare the electorates.

    Dickson warned anti-democratic forces against destabilising the state, stressing that, Bayelsans would resist any attempt to sabotage the forthcoming poll.

    He called on security forces to take appropriate action against persons involved in any form anti democratic ctivities during the period.

    He said: “My duty is to sensitise the people on their rights and I have been going round to sensitise the people, not to be involved in violence, not to be  intimidated, turnout en masse and vote massively for the PDP, because we are a peaceful party as against the opposition that is known for violence.

    “Our government is known for stability, peaceful co-existence, the protection of the democratic rights of the citizens, observance of the rule of law, a record of performance, belief in the principles of free, fair and credible election which the is not known for.”

    But Bray said he came to inform Dickson of US plans to send an observer mission to monitor the poll.

    The consul-general also said he was in the Government House to share ideas with Dickson on how to conduct a free, fair and credible election.