Bayelsa guber: Dickson, Jonathan, PDP stakeholders meet over running mate crisis

Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa

Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, is set to convene a meeting of stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to take a final decision on the choice of running mate for the party governorship candidate, Douye Diri.
An information that Lawrence Ewrudjiakpo, representing Bayelsa West in the Red Chambers as choice of running mate, which leaked, had polarised the party with some stakeholders of Bayelsa East and West at loggerheads over the issue.
Dickson, in a move to douse the tension created by the choice of the running mate, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Fidelis Soriwei, said the PDP stakeholders’ meeting, which would have in attendance former president Goodluck Jonathan, would take a final decision on the running mate before the September 23 deadline for the substitution of candidate.
Dickson, who advised PDP members and supporters to be calm and focused, said a final decision on the issue of running mate would be taken after exhaustive consultations and deliberations with the critical stakeholders.
While urging the PDP members to avoid playing into the hands of the opposition, All Progressives Congress (APC), which, according to him, carries the burden of an unmarketable gubernatorial candidate, he said the APC, which is not on the ground, is only banking on violence and the federal might to kill innocent voters during the election.
Meanwhile, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) has clarified its stand over the PDP running mate controversy, declaring that it has no special interest in any political party, governorship or running mate candidates.
IYC Central zone Chairman, Kennedy Olorogun, who stated this in a statement, said: “IYC is for all the governorship candidates that have the Ijaw struggle and nation at heart.”
Olorogun disclosed that after wide consultations, “we will engage all the governorship candidates and their running mates publicly to know those who have good plans and manifestos for Ijaw youths in the zone.”
He urged the public to disregard reports of those he described as ‘impostors’ issuing statements in the name of IYC to reject a running mate.