In a way, not many saw it coming. Given that it has been an enclave dominated by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999, keen political observers had the feeling that it’ll be business as usual.
But the reverse, as it were, was the case. I am referring to the November 16 governorship election in Bayelsa State where the All Progressives Congress (APC) dislodged the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the top chair.
PDP had ruled the state since 1999. It has always won elections in the oil rich state with some flourish, but this time, like a bolt from the blue, the broom revolution upended the umbrella in Bayelsa State much to the delight of APC faithful but painful for teeming PDP supporters.
As could be expected, blames have been flying all over the place. The loss suffered by the PDP, to an extent, has been placed at the doorstep of former President Goodluck Jonathan who is said to have remained aloof before and during the election.
Having seen his preferred candidate lose out in what was viewed as a stage managed governorship primary, the former Bayelsa State Governor was not seen openly fraternising with Duoye Diri, the man who emerged winner of the primary. Diri was the preferred choice of the incumbent governor, Seriake Dickson who worked round the clock to ensure he (Diri) flew the party’s flag.
But another twist to the tale is that the PDP lost the keys to Creek Heaven due to the high-highandedness and self-centeredness of Governor Seriake Dickson.
The devastating defeat of the PDP by APC in Bayelsa State has been largely attributed to the way and manner Governor Seriake Dickson went about his succession plan. Apart from being the governor’s cousin, Duoye Diri was said to be an unpopular candidate. The belief among some party henchmen and a good number of PDP faithful was that a former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Timi Alaibe, was a more popular candidate who would have posted a better performance if he was the standard bearer of the PDP.
But this was not to be as Dickson who backed Diri for the state’s top job, muzzled every opposition, pulled the strings with dictatorial relish and practically imposed Duoye Diri on the party. This, analysts say, was his undoing and the very reason his candidate was roundly defeated.
While the dust of the reality of defeat was still hovering in the air, tongues were sent wagging when, shortly after the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, David Lyon, was declared winner of the governorship election, APC chieftains paid a visit to Goodluck Jonathan in his residence. There were animated smiles, backslapping and joyful exchanges as was seen in the pictures that hit the public arena.
The meeting, many contend, was a clear indication that the former President worked against his party before and during the election. But members of the APC were quick to clear the air on the rationale behind the meeting.
According to the Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva who led the APC delegation, the meeting was ideal given that as a former president and leader of the state, Jonathan deserved to be respected and honoured by all Bayelsa people, irrespective of their party leanings.
His words: “Being a former president of the country and a past governor of the state, Jonathan remains an asset to the state and his inputs will always be needed to advance the course of governance in Bayelsa.
As such, it was important for us to introduce the governor-elect to him and seek his support and guidance in building a better Bayelsa,” he said.
At the meeting, Jonathan is said to have advised the governor-elect, David Lyon, to work for all Bayelsans by putting their interests above other considerations. “As a former president of Nigeria, I am a father to all Bayelsans, hence my doors are open to all citizens irrespective of their political affiliations.
“I urge you to make the welfare of Bayelsa people a top priority and carry all of them along irrespective of the party they voted for. “Elections are over now, so I want you to see yourself as the governor of all and not only to the sections that voted for you. This is the way to move Bayelsa forward,” he stated.
The former President also condemned the violence that characterised the election in some parts of the state, maintaining that the nation’s democracy would never mature if the violence and irregularities during elections continued.
But despite the claim by Timipre Sylva, Governor Seriake Dickson who is understandably enraged by the outcome of the election, insist that the APC is using Jonathan to legitimise “an illegitimacy”. The governor who spoke at a press conference recently described the erstwhile President’s alliance with APC as regrettable even as he debunked claims that he alienated stakeholders of the party and Goodluck Jonathan inclusive.
According to him: “Jonathan remains my oga and I respect him, but there are lots of efforts by certain interests to create a rift between us, there is no politician that has been there for the former president than me,” he said.
“He has also helped me but it is unfortunate that I am being misconstrued in this matter of the election. I tried to meet Jonathan 16 times and he opted to support a candidate that does not wish me well.
“I tried to meet Jonathan 16 times and he opted to support a candidate that does not wish me well,” adding, “will soon write my memoirs and people will have a fair view of what happened, the visit of some APC governors to Jonathan who congratulated the APC candidate without congratulating the candidate of his party.
“I will soon write my memoirs and people will have a fair view of what happened, the visit of some APC governors to Jonathan who congratulated the APC candidate without congratulating the candidate of his party.
Baring his mind on the outcome of the election, Dickson described what happened on Saturday as undemocratic, maintaining that Douye Diri, candidate of the PDP in the election, defeated his APC opponent.
“Our candidate, Sen. Douye Diri and the party chairman have been speaking about the charade called election that took place in Bayelsa on Saturday, and the invasion of our state by security forces, the dehumanisation of our people and how the majority of the areas and in places, where our people were denied the right to vote for the candidate of their choice.
“The story is all out there that what took place in the state on Nov. 16 was not a democratic election.
“So, today, I’m here to add my voice to all that has been said already, and it was so brazen, it has never been like this in this state before.
“I know that in 2015, we went through a very tough time, there was display of federal might, but at least, it was not as bad as this.”
On the election, Dickson described “what happened on Saturday” as undemocratic, maintaining that Douye Diri, candidate of the PDP in the election, defeated his APC opponent.
“Our candidate, Sen. Douye Diri and the party chairman have been speaking about the charade called election that took place in Bayelsa on Saturday, and the invasion of our state by security forces,” he said.
Speaking further, he said “in the midst of all this, what I think the APC leaders are doing is strategic. They came to Bayelsa to take Jonathan’s state and his people by force. This was not an election. They knew. They are my colleagues and friends.
“The game the APC leaders are playing not just with that visit but with the comments they are making about Jonathan is to lay a foundation for this gross violation of the democratic rights of his people. His Ogbia people never voted. The votes they ascribed them are false, his people, children of Bayelsa State who stood with him through thick and thin,” he maintained.
But speaking in defense of Jonathan, a chieftain of PDP absolved the ex-president of blame, arguing that Dickson and his acolytes had vowed to retire Jonathan from politics. He noted that Governor Dickson took decisions alone without consulting Jonathan.
“When it came to the last governorship election, Dickson sidelined Jonathan even when Jonathan brought many senior citizens in the PDP to beg him to allow a former Director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief Timi Alaibe to fly the flag of the PDP, Dickson refused. He was arrogant. Nobody should blame Jonathan. The singular reason why PDP lost is Dickson. He must take responsibility for this defeat,” he maintained.
The party chieftain noted that Governor Dickson imposed his preferred candidate on the party and went ahead to bring someone from his area to deputise Duoye Diri against entreaties that a running mate should come from Jonathan’s local government area.
“Everybody begged him but he refused and took a decision that finally buried the PDP,” he stated.
While the governor is said to have made moves geared toward reconciliation, the move was viewed to be coming late in the day after the damage has already been done, said stakeholders.
While the crossfire of blames are not likely to abate anytime soon, what is now clear is that power has left the PDP to APC in Bayelsa State. And, at any rate, it portends a bad omen for the south-south region and the Peoples Democratic Party. As an opposition party, the least the PDP would have wished for is to lose a state under their control more so a Niger Delta state rich in oil. It is, without any shred of doubt, a massive loss to the party who are looking to reclaim power at the centre in the next general elections come 2023.
With this development, the APC, hitherto seen as a predominantly northern party is now making inroads into regions it, until now, had little or no presence. The domino effect of APC’s victory is that other states in the region will, in no time, gravitate towards the party because the belief before now was that APC cannot win election in any of the Niger Delta states especially Bayelsa which has now fallen, Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Cross River States, among others in that order.
So, moving forward, sitting governors would want to tread softly and with caution as regards who they prefer as their successors. They now know that if they hand the ticket to an unpopular candidate, the result may be disastrous. It is certainly a time to sit up and play politics that will not boomerang negatively taking into cognisance what has happened in Bayelsa State.
For now, the blame game may continue, but all that will inevitably pale into insignificance because the deed has been done. All that is now left is for the pieces of defeat to be picked up by Dickson, his henchmen, stakeholders of the party and the accompany lessons learnt, albeit bitterly.
