News Obiaks News

The date of the coming Bayelsa state governorship election have been announced to be December 5, 2015. The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, seems to be none other than Seriake Dickson, who is also the incumbent governor; he has already been endorsed for a second term by his party.

 The date of the coming Bayelsa state governorship election have been announced to be December 5, 2015. The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, seems to be none other than Seriake Dickson, who is also the incumbent governor; he has already been endorsed for a second term by his party.

 What, however is not certain is who would represent the opposition party in the state, All Progressives Congress, APC, in the forth coming election. At the moment, more than twelve aspirants have shown commitment by buying nomination forms. Among the twelve, Tony Apraela is the only female.

However, what would have been a smooth ride for one of the most popular aspirants in the pool for the primaries, Timi Alaibe, was altered when the former governor of the state, Chief Timi Silva, last week, suddenly announced his entry into the race.

He has since submitted his nomination form. While not fore-closing the chances of  other aspirants, one can safely say that the race is entirely between Dickson and the two Timis. Former governor Sylva decamped to ACN, now APC from PDP when the place became too hot for his health, moreso that it was the same party’s controlled Federal Government agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, that stripped him of his property allegedly acquired while he was holding sway as governor. He defected to APC when the party was not known in the state. His four year reign in the state saw the state’s federal allocation on the rise, just as there were pockets of developments here and there. According to his critics, Sylva was more known on the pages of newspapers around Nigeria than in his state. Perhaps, that is why he was more of a celebrity governor. True, he may have been popular. He may also be the party leader in the state. Like other aspirants, he has the right to contest for any elective position.

If APC is serious about winning the governorship of Bayelsa State, it should ensure that Alaibe emerges the flag bearer. It also implies that if the party cannot persuade Sylva to step down, Bayelsa APC delegates who will vote at the primaries must ensure that the more popular of the two aspirants emerges the winner.

There is also another aspect that since Alaibe has been in the race more than once just like Muhammadu Buhari, although at other times, power wielders in the PDP always advised him to step down for either Diepreye Solomon Peter Alamieyeseigha or Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, this may be his chance. Buhari tried four times before an incumbent lost for him to win.

The upcoming Bayelsa election is very important. More important however, is the courage and foresight of the delegates during the primaries to elect a politically buoyant contender with the needed background and grassroots connection that would confront and probably uproot the historical might of the incumbent. If the people of Bayelsa indeed want continuity, they should look to Dickson or Sylva. But if they want change, Alaibe brings a breath of fresh air.

What, however is not certain is who would represent the opposition party in the state, All Progressives Congress, APC, in the forth coming election. At the moment, more than twelve aspirants have shown commitment by buying nomination forms. Among the twelve, Tony Apraela is the only female.

However, what would have been a smooth ride for one of the most popular aspirants in the pool for the primaries, Timi Alaibe, was altered when the former governor of the state, Chief Timi Silva, last week, suddenly announced his entry into the race.

He has since submitted his nomination form. While not fore-closing the chances of  other aspirants, one can safely say that the race is entirely between Dickson and the two Timis. Former governor Sylva decamped to ACN, now APC from PDP when the place became too hot for his health, moreso that it was the same party’s controlled Federal Government agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, that stripped him of his property allegedly acquired while he was holding sway as governor. He defected to APC when the party was not known in the state. His four year reign in the state saw the state’s federal allocation on the rise, just as there were pockets of developments here and there. According to his critics, Sylva was more known on the pages of newspapers around Nigeria than in his state. Perhaps, that is why he was more of a celebrity governor. True, he may have been popular. He may also be the party leader in the state. Like other aspirants, he has the right to contest for any elective position.

If APC is serious about winning the governorship of Bayelsa State, it should ensure that Alaibe emerges the flag bearer. It also implies that if the party cannot persuade Sylva to step down, Bayelsa APC delegates who will vote at the primaries must ensure that the more popular of the two aspirants emerges the winner.

There is also another aspect that since Alaibe has been in the race more than once just like Muhammadu Buhari, although at other times, power wielders in the PDP always advised him to step down for either Diepreye Solomon Peter Alamieyeseigha or Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, this may be his chance. Buhari tried four times before an incumbent lost for him to win.

The upcoming Bayelsa election is very important. More important however, is the courage and foresight of the delegates during the primaries to elect a politically buoyant contender with the needed background and grassroots connection that would confront and probably uproot the historical might of the incumbent. If the people of Bayelsa indeed want continuity, they should look to Dickson or Sylva. But if they want change, Alaibe brings a breath of fresh air.