In the last three months, there has been a raging war between the state governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson and the first lady, Dame Patience Jonathan. Osa Okhomina examines the recent political onslaught between the governor and loyalists of Dame Jonathan

Unlike other states of the federation, the centre of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa, the home state of President Goodluck Jonathan, seems weakened and unable to hold in the face of the raging cold war between the state governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson and the wife of the president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.

While many state chapters of the PDP are being reconciled ahead of the 2015 presidential elections, the relationship among the members of the Bayelsa PDP, the state governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson, and loyalists of the wife of the president, Dame Patience Jonathan, have become strained, threatening to give victory of the 2015 presidential and National Assembly to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

How It Started

While many followers of the party have blamed the struggle for who emerges as 2016 governorship candidate of the party for being responsible for the crises, others have argued that the sour relationship created between Dickson and members of the National Assembly over the outcome of the party’s primary election in the state and National Assembly is the cause.

Some section of the state have also argued that the over-bearing influence of the first family, particularly Dame Patience Jonathan, may have sparked off a clash between her and the governor. Unlike the personality clash that swept away the former governor, Chief Timipre Sylva, from office in 2011, the battle of wits between the Dickson and Dame Jonathan may define the strength or weakness of the political influence of President Goodluck Jonathan in Bayelsa State.

Already, many politicians in the state, including those appointed by the state governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson, seems to have divided support and are waiting for the outcome of the 2015 presidential election. According to calculations, the victory of President Goodluck Jonathan may embolden the first lady and her team of loyalists to go all the way and deploy their war chest against the governor.

The argument of the loyalists of the first family is that there is the need to put a loyal governor in place at the state Government House to consolidate on power after the anticipated second tenure of the president expires in 2019 and that by the time President Goodluck Jonathan retires to Otuoke community in Ogbia local government, he will still be capable of calling the shots in the polity of the state.

They alleged that the actions and utterances of Governor Dickson showed a proud person that may fight the president in retirement. The existing scenario between the former governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel and former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, was painted to back their claims.

One of the loyalists claimed that Dickson is deceitful and disrespectful to the president, a claim that has been dismissed by the aides of the governor and even the governor himself on numerous occasions.

According to the camp of Dame Jonathan, who was not disposed to the emergence of Seriake Dickson after the removal of Timipre Sylva, the emergence and three years stay in office of Gov. Seriake Dickson has reduced the influence of the first family.

Dickson, who has left no one in doubt of his independent mindedness and desire to effect a change in the infrastructural sector of the state, has continually declared his readiness to fight for his political survival. An example of his resolve was shown during the primaries for the legislature in the state.

Out of the 24 slots in the state House of Assembly, Dickson’s political machinery known as Restoration claimed 16. In the eight slots of the House of Representatives and Senate, the Restoration boys had six, with the Silverbird chief executive emerging as an additional intake into the group.

Dame Patience, in a show of displeasure over the rising influence of the governor, resigned her appointment as a “super” permanent secretary in Bayelsa State Civil Service. Dickson had in July 2012, five months after his inauguration, allegedly overstepped moral bounds to appoint Patience Jonathan as one of the 17 new permanent secretaries in the civil service.

While sources from the Ministry of Education said the 57-year-old Patience Jonathan left the service voluntarily, one of the sources who pleaded anonymity said the first lady opted for voluntary retirement.

As a preliminary to the open declaration of war between Mrs Jonathan and Gov.Dickson,there was a gathering of some politicians loyal to President Goodluck Jonathan in an alleged plot to unseat Dickson in 2016.

The gathering of Jonathan’s loyalists, which was convened and held at the country home of the senior special adviser to the president on Domestic Matters, Dr. Weripamowei Dudafagh, was considered by the aides to Governor Dickson as a plot against the present administration in the state.

LEADERSHIP gathered that the meeting, which was tagged “end of the year party for former and present state House of Assembly members, commissioners and former aides under the administration of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan”, was considered by Governor Dickson’s aides as unsettling and provocative.

In attendance at the gathering were the former acting governor and state coordinator of the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN), Hon. Werinipre Seibarugu and former commissioners in the state, including former state information commissioner, Chief Nathan Egba, Engr. Mike Ogiasa, former secretary to the state government, Gideon Ekeuwei, former Finance commissioners, Stephen Oguala and Charles Opuala.

Former state assembly members include Hon.Nelson Belief, Hon.Elliot Osomu, Hon.Alaibo, Hon. Etebu and Hon.(Mrs) Vivian Imanamagha. The incumbent state assembly members present were Hon.Amallayon Yuosuo (Brass) and James Ayobegha (Nembe).

Dudafagh was quoted as saying that the gathering was convened due to his long absence from the state and being out of communication with friends and political associates. Dudafagha was apologetic and asked his political friends to work for the total victory of the president in the state and the South-South as a whole.

An aide to the governor, who spoke to LEADERSHIP under condition of anonymity, said though the gathering was tagged end of the year party, “we considered it as a political gathering for the failed purpose of removing the governor in 2016. They will fail as they have been failing. We will remain focused and would not allow distractions.”

Some members of the PDP said such gathering may not have been considered “unsettling” if it had been organised by some loyalists of the state governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson.

According to the PDP members, Dudafagha is a known loyalist of Dame Jonathan and an identified contender for the governorship position of the state come 2016. Dame Jonathan and Governor Seriake Dickson’s relationship has become frosty recently over this issue.

A former commissioner under the administration of Timipre Sylva, who spoke with LEADERSHIP on condition of anonymity, said though the gathering was made up of dependable politicians, “it was simply a social gathering for wives and children of some politicians that were present.”

Renewed Hostilities

The cold war between Dickson and the wife of Dame Patience Jonathan blew open last week with the sack of the state commissioner for local government, Mrs. Marie Ebikake and the special adviser on Federal Government Projects, Chief Remi Kuku, over alleged divided loyalty.

Mrs. Marie Ebikake and Chief Remi Kuku were members of the Governor Seriake Dickson administration that participated in the reception to welcome Dame Patience Jonathan to Otuoke community ahead of the wedding ceremony of the president’s foster daughter, Miss. Inebai Paul and Dr. Simeon Onyemaechi at Otuoke, Ogbia local government area of the state.

LEADERSHIP gathered that the duo of Ebikake and Kuku allegedly shunned a blanket order asking all political appointees to shun the Nigeria first lady due to a similar rebuff extended to the governor and his wife, Dr. Rachel Dickson.

The state government, in a statement signed by the chief press secretary to the governor, Mr.Daniel Markson-Iworiso, did not give reason for the sack of Marie Ebikake and Remi Kuku but warned the youths and women in the state of the presence of politicians out to destabilie it.

It was gathered that the venue of the traditional wedding ceremony of the foster daughter of the president was turned into a battle ground by women loyal to the wife of the president, Patience Jonathan and Bayelsa State governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson.

Leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and dignitaries in Otuoke community who were present at the wedding showed signs of worry over the development. LEADERSHIP gathered that during the Friday arrival of the president to Otuoke community in a presidential helicopter, the women under the aegis of the Women for Change Initiative controlled by Dame Patience Jonathan engaged in loud singing of praises of their mentor and reportedly threw painful banter against the administration of Governor Dickson.

But the Women of the state, mobilised in huge numbers, stormed Otuoke community with drums and large banners, singing in favour of Governor Seriake Dickson and blocked out the women under the women for Change Initiative.

Some of the women attached to Change Initiative were nearly beaten up and engaged in fisticuff. A senior aide of the governor who spoke under condition of anonymity said the scene was tensed.

“The women hired by the Women for Change Initiative were insulting the governor but the loyal women of Bayelsa put up a show affirming their support for the state governor.”

A loyalist of the president’s wife and aide to the sacked national vice chairperson of the Women for Change Initiative, Remi Kuku, told LEADERSHIP under condition of anonymity that the alleged refusal of by the wife of the state governor, Dr. Racheal Dickson and state government officials to accord the first lady courtesy also angered the women within and outside the state.

“We were not abusive but giving support to our Mama Peace,” she stated.

Dickson’s Defence

Initially, Gov Dickson claimed the sack of the two female political appointees was part of efforts to ensure service delivery and fulfillment of his restoration agenda. Governor Seriake Dickson, in a statement issued by his chief press secretary, Mr. Daniel Markson-Iworiso, said the minor cabinet reshuffle is in furtherance of his commitment to deliver more robustly on its administration’s restoration agenda.

The governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson, however, accused the former state deputy governor, Hon. Werinipreye Seibarugu and members of the pro-Jonathan group, the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) of planning to destabilise the state and destroy the work of the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the re-election of the president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.

According to Gov. Dickson, the immediate past deputy governor of the state, Hon. Werinipre Seibarugu and Mrs. Remi Kuku and their supporters, while operating under the aegis of the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria, TAN, rallied senior members of the previous administration in the state to engage and promote the politics of subversion and needless divisions amongst the women and other groups, who were mobilised to attend and honour the president on the occasion of the traditional marriage of his niece.

Governor Seriake Dickson accused politicians of creating divisions among the women, mostly to serve their own selfish interest and personal aggrandisement other than that of the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria, TAN.

“Mrs. Kuku did not only create division among the women, but displayed total disrespect for senior officials of the Bayelsa State government by her actions and this can no longer be condoned in a disciplined set up like the Restoration Government”.

“It is important to state for the records, especially at this period of heightened political activities that, while politicians and groups are free to set up campaign structures to promote their personal, political aspirations and canvas for votes from the electorates; they must do so within the confines of the law. These should not in any way amount to destabilisation of the state. Security agencies in the state must be alive to their constitutional roles and duties to protect the security and stability of the state”.

The Role Of Bayelsa TAN In The Saga

In response to the accusation of plot to unseat him as governor of the state, the director of Publicity of Bayelsa State chapter of the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN), Chief Nathan Egba, dismissed as false, claims by some politicians in the state that the wife of the president, Dame Patience Jonathan, has concluded plans to use the organisation as a tool to unseat Dickson.

According to Chief Egba, TAN is a socio-political organisation set up to inform and mobilise the people of Nigeria towards the re-election of the president, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in 2015 and therefore not out to unseat the state governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson”.

Egba also said the appointment of the former state deputy governor, Hon. Werinipre Seibarugu, was not to antagonise the present administration in the state but to add more vigour to the mobilisation of the people of the state and the region for the re-election of the president in 2015.

According to him, “TAN has nothing whatsoever to do with any plot to unseat the Bayelsa governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson. The group was established to publicise the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan. There is no member of the Bayelsa TAN that is working against the administration of Governor Dickson in the state.”

On the relationship of TAN with the first lady, Chief Egba noted that TAN in Bayelsa State will consider it a honour to interact with the wife of the president and first lady of the federation based on her position as the most dependable ally of the president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.

“We will relish any opportunity to interact with the wife of the president towards the realisation of the re-election bid of the President in 2015”, he stated.

He flayed the description of the new executive committee of TAN in Bayelsa State as allies of a former governor in the state. According to him, “Rt. Hon. Seibarugu was the speaker of the state assembly at the time the present governor was attorney-general under the administration of President Jonathan when he was governor of Bayelsa State, so he has had a robust relationship with Mr President which has lasted many years.”
Source: http://.com.ng

THE GOD OF SYLVA IS FIGHTING FOR HIM