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Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Before the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) released the timetable for the Bayelsa State governorship election which it fixed for November 2, 2019, the body language of key political actors had already indicated that the election would attract the highest number of aspirants in the history of the state. Majority of these aspirants, Daily Sun gathered, would be running on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), while the All Progressives Congress (APC) would have the least. The reason aspirants are jostling for the PDP’s ticket, pundits say, is not far-fetched. The PDP remains hugely popular in the state as the only party that has governed the state since 1999 and the Bayelsa people, especially those at the grassroots still have emotional attachment to the party.
Though the political parties are yet to announce modalities for the purchase of nomination forms, names of aspirants from both the PDP and the APC are springing, to the extent that political observers in the state today know those who are likely to pick the nomination forms.
Kenebi Okoko
Kenebi Okoko is the son of highly revered Ijaw nationalist, professor of political scientist and former president of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), Professor Kimse Okoko. Kenebi represents a new face in Bayelsa politics which the voters appear to be yearning for. A trained economist from University of Port Harcourt, Okoko who also has a degree in Political Science from Carlton University is a renowned entrepreneur and industrialist that sit atop multibillion naira investment in oil and gas.
His aspiration has attracted vast majority of Bayelsa youths which made up the bulk of the electorate in the state. This is not surprising to political pundits, considering his background and network of business contacts.
Supporters of Okoko for governorship are mostly young Bayelsa professionals in the business community, banking and academia that cut across the eight local government areas of the state. He has to his credit being the founder and group chief executive of KDI group, a diversified strategic investor in key sectors of the Nigerian economy as an indicator that he is the person the state needs to think out of the box and continue the development of the state from where Governor Henry Seriake Dickson would leave it.
If there is any doubt about his capacity for building political consensus and his influence in the PDP, such doubt was erased during the 2019 general election in the state. During the election, Okoko galvanised support for the PDP in Obungha community and Gbarain/ Ekpetiama clan ensuring that the PDP won in all the polling units without any record of violence.
Just like Dickson, Okoko believes education is the key to unlock the potentials of the state. “Our people are not completely exposed to good education system. Our people are not well travelled like other tribes. The Ijaw man is determined to succeed, if you give the Ijaw man the right playing ground, he will perform, I can assure you. So I believe that what we should do as a people is to focus on education” Okoko said in one of his comments, where he spoke to his vision for the state.
Ndutimi Alaibe
Popularly known as ‘Principal’, Alaibe, a political associate of former vice-president, Atiku Abubakar, is the former Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). He has been preparing to be governor since 2003. He was prevailed upon by Atiku to step down for late Diepreye Alamiyeseigha in 2003. Alamiyeseigha was first elected governor in 1999 and wanted a second term in 2003.
Again, in 2007, former president Olusegun Obasanjo prevailed on Alaibe to drop his governorship ambition for then governor, Goodluck Jonathan. In 2010, he left the PDP for the Labour Party (LP) and had been given the governorship ticket but dumped the party and went back to the PDP only to be disqualified from the governorship race in 2011.
In 2015 he left for the APC and was sure of getting the ticket before he was forced out of the governorship primaries. In 2018 he returned to the PDP where he is warming up to contest the governorship primaries. Already five political groups in the state are calling on him to go for the ticket of the PDP. The groups, Timi Alaibe Youth Vanguard, Bayelsa State Advanced Movement, Alaibe Support Group, Committee for the Development of Bayelsa State and Concerned Progressive Youths of Bayelsa have all said in one voice that “Alaibe is the most experienced and has the wherewithal to pilot the affairs of the state for the benefit of the people in line with the strides already achieved by Governor Dickson”
Dr Franklin Erepamo Osaisai
Osaisai, is the former Director- General of the National Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC). He is an accomplished technocrat from Koluama in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. He played an active part in Bayelsa State creation movement serving as the editorial coordinator of the Bayelsa State creation demand memo. Osaisai who was once described as a genius from the fertile creeks of the Niger Delta region recorded giant strides at the NAEC which catapulted him to the national scene. He is also well known and respected among the political elites in Bayelsa State and this is why there is clamour for him to join the governorship race.
For those that asked for his record of public service, his supporters have pointed to his astute political networking as an advantage for him. Osaisai was Deputy- Chairman of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area in Old Rivers State from 1994 to 1996. In 1998 during the transition programme of late General Sani Abacha, Osaisai was elected Senator to represent Bayelsa Central Senatorial District but the transition programme was truncated. In 1999, after the inauguration of late Alamieyeseigha as governor, he appointed Osaisai as Commissioner of Works and Physical Infrastructure.
His foot soldiers believe that he is well accepted across the eight local government areas of the state and that the political elite seems to be at home with him as they believe he would use his rich political contacts within the country and his connection with international organisations to accelerate development in Bayelsa State.
Reuben Okoya
Okoya, the son of a traditional ruler, Ezekiel Pappah Okoya, who was a minister in the first republic, made his name during the tenure of Alamieyeseigha when he accepted to return from America to become Commissioner for Special Duties handling strategic infrastructure which have stood the test of time. A first class architect, it is to the credit of Okoya that the Niger Delta University is standing today, pundits say. When Goodluck Jonathan became the president, Okoya was one of the persons he deployed to the Federal Capital serving in various positions at the FCT which culminated in his appointment as coordinator of Abuja Metropolitan Management Council. Okoya’s signature projects dot the landscape of the FCT. Though a technocrat, his foray into politics was endorsed by many political elite in Bayelsa State including Goodluck Jonathan. In 2015 his decision to contest the governorship primaries was almost splitting the party before Jonathan prevailed on him to drop his ambition for Dickson. His decision not to only accept to step down, but also work assiduously for the party in the elections endeared him to the hearts of party faithful who saw in him a candidate for the future.
During the 2019 general election, Okoya mobilised support and donated campaign materials and vehicles to all the party’s candidates from Bayelsa Central Senatorial District. He has told everyone who cares to listen that to develop Bayelsa is not rocket science but passion and determination which he maintains Dickson has displayed and must be sustained by a forward looking politician. A group, Orange Movement coordinated by Dr. Ekiyor Welson has been going round Bayelsa communities sensitising the people on the need to support Okoya to clinch the PDP’s governorship ticket.
A political commentator, Mr. Amaebi Clarkson in a widely publicised article: “Bayelsa Governorship: The Rueben Okoya Option,” had advocated a departure from mainstream politicians for “a development oriented person”. According to him” Reuben is obviously a breath of fresh air, good education exposure and a robust private and public sector practise.”
Boladei Goodknows Igali
Dr. Igali is an accomplished diplomat who made a mark in the Nigeria Intelligence Agency (NIA) before he was appointed Secretary to the State Government (SSG) when Jonathan assumed control as governor in 2002. It was also a period when militancy was rife and Igali deployed his diplomatic skills to resolve many kidnapping incidents involving expatriates. When Jonathan moved to Abuja as the vice-president, Igali also moved and was appointed a permanent secretary and became a ‘super permanent secretary’ and a member of Jonathan’s kitchen cabinet all throughout his presidency.
Since 2015, Igali has become more prominent in state functions giving support and solidarity to the Dickson’s administration. He is also involved in propagating the Ijaw struggle. He is also seen as a development oriented Bayelsa man who is a fresh face from the usual Bayelsa politician.
Timipre Sylva
The former governor and leader of the APC in the state is one person that is sure to get the APC ticket if he hearkens to the call of his supporters to contest the governorship primaries. Sylva who was denied a second term ticket by the PDP in 2011 has been leading the opposition since 2015 in the tate. He was the APC governorship candidate in 2015 winning only his own Brass Local Government Area while Dickson defeated him in the other seven local government areas, though he insists INEC conspired against him. In the 2019 general election, Sylva led the APC to win one senatorial seat, two House of Representative seats and four state legislative seats, giving him a boost ahead of taking a shot at the governorship again.
A coalition of political parties had after the presidential election in February called on Sylva to “contest the governorship of Bayelsa again and rescue the state from the PDP.”
However, if he decides to run, Sylva may have to contend with some party leaders who are pushing for him to be appointed minister while leaving the governorship candidate for a fresh face so as to be able to sell the APC to the grassroots.
Prof Millionaire Abowei
He is a lecturer at the University of Science and Technology, Port- Harcourt. An old time associate of President Muhammadu Buhari, he contested the governorship election in 2003 against Alamieyeseigha on the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP). After the Supreme Court verdict that ruled that Sylva had completed his tenure in 2011and sacked him and his deputy, the acting governor then, Nestor Binabo appointed him as the SSG.
Described as a super intelligent politician and great mobiliser of people, Abowei who was appointed as a co- party agent for Buhari in the 2019 Presidential election is being sold by his supporters to party leaders in Abuja as an alternative to Sylva, using his old contacts with Buhari.
Young Turks
Added to this list are a group of powerful members of the Dickson team who are waiting on the governor to enter the governorship race. Those in this category include the incumbent speaker of the House of Assembly, Kombowei Friday Benson, the SSG, Mr. Kemela Okara, the Chairman of the Inland Revenue Board, Dr. Nimbofa Ayawei, and the member representing Yenagoa/ Kolokuma/Opokuma Federal Constituency and senator-elect, Bayelsa Central, Douye Diri. They are fiercely loyal to the governor and are waiting for his endorsement to take a shot at the governorship.
