From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
As preparations begin for the 2023 general elections, former governor of Bayelsa State and Senator representing Bayelsa West, Henry Seriake Dickson, recently held separate closed-door meetings met with his successor, Governor Douye Diri, and two leaders of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa West, Chief Fyneman Wilson and Chief Thompson Okorotie.
Between 2012 and 2019 when he served as governor, Sen Dickson led one of the most formidable political structures in Nigeria, winning 23 seats in the state House of Assembly and all the seven seats in the National Assembly during the 2015 general election, and also defeated the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the 2015 governorship election.
Although in 2019 the APC had been able to make inroads winning five seats in the House of Assembly and three National Assembly seats, the Dickson political structure which produced Diri remains formidable.
Investigations revealed that the separate meeting with Governor Diri and the two Bayelsa West leaders bordered on ways to strengthen the party ahead of the primaries and general election.
Governor Diri as the governor and leader of the party in the state is expected to play a key role in the emergence of candidates for the various seats in the National Assembly and the state legislature.
The governor, who has had a cordial relationship with his predecessor, would have that relationship tested over the Bayelsa West Senatorial seat, which his kinsman and political associate, Hon Fred Agbedi, is angling for to stop the re-election bid of Dickson as he seeks to replace him at the Red Chamber.
Sen Dickson, who confirmed the meeting with Governor Diri on Facebook, said the meeting was about strengthening the party in the state.
‘I hosted my Governor, Senator Douye Diri in a closed-door meeting when he visited me, as he normally does most times he is in Abuja.
‘We had fruitful discussions on how to strengthen our party and he thanked me for my attendance at the events during the 2nd-anniversary celebration of his government last week.
‘I reiterated my commendation to him for continuity of projects and policies that are beneficial to our people as he is doing.
‘I again call for continuous support and prayers for him, the government and the state,’ he stated.
The meeting with Wilson who served as Political Adviser to Dickson and Okorotie who is the Caucus Chairman of PDP in Bayelsa West was also on the same issue of strengthening the party and repositioning it for electoral victory.
Sources within the party said the issue of the Bayelsa West Senate seat has polarised the party in Bayelsa West, with Wilson and Okorotie, being respected leaders in the area, expected to lead the efforts to douse tension in the area.