From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa

As the countdown for the November 11 Bayelsa governorship election begins, the ruling party in the state, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the main opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) are not leaving anything to chance to emerge victorious. For political observers, the PDP’s candidate, Senator Douye Diri still remains the favourite to win the polls. This is linked to the massive structure built over the years from 1999 when PDP has been ruling the state; his apparent peaceful disposition as well as record of achievements.

However, recent inroads into PDP strongholds by the APC has attracted the attention of pundits who are convinced that the opposition APC with its candidate, a former governor of the state and immediate past Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva has what it takes to drag the contest to the wire. For close observers of Bayelsa politics, the way both parties have started throwing everything into the political mix, is an indication that the race for the governorship has assumed the status of a two- horse race.

The Defection war

Since the beginning of the year, politicians across the divide have been moving in what is generally seen as realignment and strategic defections. From Ekeremor to Southern Ijaw to Sagbama to Kolokuma/Opokuma to Yenagoa, the movement has either been for the PDP or the APC which further underscored the hypothesis that the PDP and the APC are the main parties to battle for Creek Haven ( Bayelsa Government House).

In Yenagoa, the member representing Yenagoa/Kolokuma/Opokuma in the House of Representatives, Hon Oforji Oboku has played a vital role in dismantling the Labour Party and APC structure in Yenagoa.

Accordingly, the LP State House of Assembly candidate for Yenagoa Constituency Two in the last election, Mr. Famous Okponya, has dumped the party and joined the PDP.

Mr. Okponya, who was received by Diri, alongside four Ward Chairmen of the party in the area said they came to the decision because of the developmental strides of the current Prosperity Administration.

Also in a project tagged ‘Winding Down Bayelsa APC’ ahead of November 11 Governorship election, leaders of APC Yenagoa Ward 5 led by its Chairman, Mr ThankGod Egba, Mr Kalizibe Joseph from Ovom and Mr Moso Duenize were led by Oboku to a meeting with Diri to pledge their support.

According to the defectors, they were moved by the great achievements of the Prosperity Administration including massive construction projects within Yenagoa.

Duenize in his remarks said they were happy to join the winning team, and expressed the confidence that Senator Douye Diri and Deputy Governor, Sen. Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, would be re-elected.

“We keep wondering how Sylva can win the election against a formidable PDP that is on ground. We are here to work with you sir. We will campaign from polling unit to polling unit”, Duenize, stated.

Diri appreciated the new defectors for their positive assessment of his administration particularly on all the projects located in Epie/Attisa Kingdoms.

In Otuan , Southern Ijaw Local Government Area,  stakeholders of the APC announced that they have pitched a tent with the ruling party in the state, the PDP.

Speaking on behalf of the defectors, Mr Oifie Osunu said they were tired of the several unfulfilled promises, and would not want to be deceived again, especially with the elections around the corner.

According to him, they are ready to join the winning team and work to deliver Diri come November 11.

Osunu who pledged the loyalty of the defectors to the PDP said it will be sacrilege to remain in a party without vision.

In Sagbama Local Government Area, the leadership of the PDP led by Hon. Micheal Magbisa, the party’s Senatorial West Chairman also received defectors from Sagbama Constituency 3 Ward 1, Agbere, Osekwenike, Abuetor, Kenan, and Osifor of Ward 14 who have pledged their total support to renew the mandate of Diri and  Ewrhujakpo.

One of the defectors, Mr Emma Igweoku, speaking on behalf of all the defectors from ward 14 stated that his turning point to join the PDP was when Governor Diri visited his community amidst the flooding. He commended the governor for creating an atmosphere of peace and unity in the state and the PDP.

“For my community, Osekwenike, I can assure you, it is no political talk, nobody is remaining in the APC. And I want to commend His Excellency, the governor, for the atmosphere of peace he has created in the party and within the state. He is a lover of people. He is a man who has interests for everyone. My turning point was the last flood; he arrived in this community by himself and did so much for the community.”

Also, member representing Constituency 3, Hon. Ebizi Ndiomu Brown while advising the defectors at Osekwenike and Agbere, assured them of equal rights and privileges.

“You have given us the stakeholder’s great joy, you have made us proud. In PDP, it doesn’t matter when you come back. You are now a full member and you will be treated well,” Ebizi stated.

However, what the APC has lost, it has also gained in equal measure. In Southern Ijaw, the deputy-governorship candidate of the party, Joshua Maclver and former ex-militant leader, Pastor Rueben have been winning PDP and LP members over to the APC.

One of those that have dumped the PDP for the APC is a grassroots mobilizer,Ogbomo Erepamowei,    from Amasomma, the community with the largest voting strength in Southern Ijaw.  He did not mince words in his resignation letter after dumping the ruling party.

According to him, he is leaving the party because he is convinced that the Diri’s administration cannot bring the desired development to the state.

His words: “I have taken time to critically examine the current realities and the pace of development of our dear state and I have come to the conclusion that the current government which I serve till this moment can’t enthrone the urgently needed accelerated development of our dear state.

“I have therefore, decided to formally resign my membership  of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)  and pitch tent with my leader , Chief Pastor Reuben Clifford Wilson and other progressive minded persons to move the state forward.

“This decision is solely for the betterment of our people and the entire state. It is premised on the fact that we urgently need to join hands with visionary leaders to fast-track development of the state. My primary focus in life at this time is to embrace and work with ideas that will positively change the pathetic narrative of our dear state and the people.

“It’s in pursuit of my sincere desire to join forces with people whose primary interest is the holistic and accelerated development of our state, that I formally write you this resignation letter”

In Sagbama, considered one of the strongholds of the PDP being the home area of the immediate past governor and now Senator, Bayelsa West, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson and the incumbent deputy-governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, the APC has made significant political incursion to weaken the PDP.

The APC in a rally, tagged, ‘Sagbama Wake Up!’ sponsored by the leadership of the APC in Sagbama under Hon. Yekini Nabena and coordinated by the Deputy Chairman of the party, Mr Francis Kolokolo gave Maclver the opportunity to receive defectors from the PDP and LP.

Among those that defected was grassroots mobiliser cum social media influencer, Apostle Bodmas Prince Kemepadei, a former Special Assistant to Diri, who formally defected to the APC at the rally.

Receiving the defectors, MacIver welcomed and congratulated them for taking a bold step to liberate themselves from the shackles of the PDP.

He reminded the people that it was a Sagbama son that made Diri a governor, pointing out that the governor only won Sagbama and Kolokuma/Opokuma but became governor through the Supreme Court and yet has not done anything for the people of Sagbama.

Maclver took a swipe at Senator Diri over the recent emergency appointment letters, stressing that such actions would not salvage his re-election bid as he is poised to lose by a landslide.

He said, “we thought we were coming to thank the people and canvas for their votes. But when we got here, we saw many people dumping their parties for the APC. It goes without saying that APC is a party to beat in Bayelsa.

“In Bayelsa State, two months to the election, you already know who is winning the election. Let us not deceive ourselves; this election is clear that the APC has already won the election.

“Everybody knows that we are going to win Brass, we will win Nembe, we will win Ogbia, Southern Ijaw is a no-go area, we will win Ekeremor, Yenagoa is everybody’s place. The only two LGAs likely to go to them are contestable. We enjoin the people of Sagbama to come out en masse to cast their votes as we are very sure that the APC will sweep the poll on November 11, 2023.”

The Scramble for Opu- Nembe

The crisis in Opu- Nembe, Nembe Local Government Area which has been politicised underscores what is in the offing as the Bayelsa governorship draws closer. What was purely a communal affair involving factions of youths in the community and the Chiefs Council has been exacerbated by political colouration because Opu- Nembe is seen as a stronghold of the APC.

The PDP in recent times does not have a good political story in Opu- Nembe. An attack during the 2019 governorship campaign and subsequent loss at the polls has made the area a hostile environment for the PDP.

Having missed the opportunity to intervene decisively in the crisis at the initial stage by halting the reign of terror in the community being led by a faction of the youths, all steps being taken by the Diri –led administration after the deployment of Police operatives for a sting operation by the Inspector- General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, is being viewed with political lens.  Political analysts believe the state government’s opposition against the deployment of Police, imposition of curfew, ban on chieftaincy and youth activities have further turned the people against the government.  The decision of a faction of the Council of Chiefs to paint the crisis political was a bait swallowed by the Diri administration which further polarised the community such that there are now PDP and APC chiefs.

Expectedly, this has further allowed APC members to get emboldened with their strong resolve to resist what they have termed PDP intimidation.  This narrative has been accepted by the vast majority of the people. For political observers, they believe that there is no end in sight to the imbroglio in Opu- Nembe until after the governorship election.

First ladies on campaign trail     

The involvement of Diri’s wife, Dr Gloria Diri and Sylva’s wife, Mrs Alayingi Sylva in the campaigns is also an indication that the two candidates are taking all steps to secure victory. Mrs Diri had embarked on a thank-you tour of all the government areas where she commended Bayelsa women for supporting the prosperity Government.

Mrs Diri and the wife of the deputy- governor, Mrs Beatrice Ewhrudjakpo aside the tour have also been holding interactive sessions with women as part of efforts to drum support for the PDP.

The duo in discussions with the women maintained that politics is grassroots-oriented and there is need for all to double efforts at galvanizing support for the government from the various wards and units in their communities, adding that when PDP comes out victorious in the November 11 Election, consolidating on its achievements would become easy.

In one of her outings, Dr Diri said: “As you all are aware, another governorship election is here again; one way or another, you have been trying, putting efforts towards ensuring that the Prosperity Government succeeds in the past three years.

“However, Senator Douye Diri, the governor cannot be everywhere and also do everything, hence he appointed capable persons to work with him to realize the Bayelsa of our dreams and all of you seated here today, are part of the team.

“Much has been done in the areas of Infrastructure development, healthcare delivery, Women and Youths Empowerment amongst others and more work would be done because we are not resting on our oars.

“The Senator Douye Diri led Government, given a second tenure, would achieve greater feats for the good of all Bayelsans and residents of the state, “Dr Diri said.

On her part, Mrs Sylva has reactivated her political women network to ensure the success of Syvla in the November 11 governorship election. Most of the women who had a good time with her when she was First Lady have jumped on the train as she pays visits to wives of traditional rulers in the state galvanising support for the APC.

Mrs Sylva and wife of the deputy-governor candidate, Mrs Sarah Joshua Maciver have also succeeded in opening a secretariat for the women to ensure smooth running of their campaign.

Mrs. Sylva who inaugurated the secretariat along Isaac Boro Expressway said the provision of the campaign council secretariat is the recognition of the hard work the women have done for the party over the years, which she noted will provide space, strength and empowerment to spread the message of Chief Timipre Sylva to win the governorship election in the state.

The former Bayelsa First Lady informed women that a labourer is entitled to his/her wages and urged them to make good use of the office space to hold meetings, and campaign vigorously to enable the party to win the election.

She thanked the state’s party chairman; Chief Dennis Otiotio Odoni for recognising the efforts made by the women to reposition the party and urged them to redouble efforts while promising that the women would be adequately rewarded when Sylva is elected into office.