Pauline Onyibe 
The Bayelsa State Governorship Election is just around the corner. Of course the polity is already heated up with all manner of lobbying, fake endorsements, accusations and counter-accusations, propaganda, court cases and more. There are three major contenders in this race to Creek Haven although others are just there may be to look for ‘settlement or political positions’ but among all the supposed sixteen governorship candidates, we have the main horses racing to creek haven.
Although looking at the political permutation, no one knows who will coast to victory according to political pundits and looking at their antecedents. The three major contenders are the incumbent governor of the state, Douye Diri of Peoples’ Democratic Party, the immediate past Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva and the third force, Udengs Eradiri who is polling weight behind the two gladiators. For Diri, he feels that his works can get him the second term without talking too much.
For him the salaries of the workers are being paid so what is the challenge about not reaching out to people financially. Of course he had said it over and over again that he was not going to be sharing money in his time but for Bayelsans, openings should be made for the state resources to penetrate into the state. Earlier before now, he got to the creek haven through the help of his political god father, the former governor of the state Seriake Dickson who did everything possible including sponsoring about 22 governorship aspirants then in 2019 only for all to be made to step down for the incumbent governor.
But in all the people then seem to be tired of the leadership style of the former governor, the reason why they massively voted for David Lyon of APC who distinctly defeated the incumbent with a difference of about 120,00 votes. But as fate will have it, he was declared the winner of the election just few hours to David Lyon’s swearing-in. That is the reason why he is called the miracle governor. The disqualification didn’t actually come as a result of Lyon’s shortcoming but from his deputy then, Degi whom it was discovered had discrepancies in his name.
All those worked in his favour because he has a political godfather but recently, the voice of the political god father is not being heard at all as he was said to have been allegedly told by the powers that be not to meddle into Bayelsa politics. So by and large, the incumbent is banking on some of his achievements like some road constructions, the monthly financial empowerment, the peace that the state is presently enjoying, the prompt payment of civil servants salary among others. And for the immediate past minister of state for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva, Bayelasans are of the opinion that he never brought anything to the state when he was the minister.
For them he didn’t achieve much when he was the governor of the state even though he opened up the internal roads in Yenagoa. At least he constructed nothing less than fifty internal roads during his time as the governor but one basic thing that people are holding against him is that he runs the APC as his private company. Also the process of the peace that Bayelsans are enjoying today started from Sylva who during his time went as far as meeting the late Musa Yar’adua who granted the Niger Delta militants amnesty prompting the peace that is be- ing witnessed both the state now and in the entire Niger Delta.
And for the third force Udengs Eradiri, nothing seems to be working against him because he is just a young man of forty seven years, a private entrepreneur running his business with over two hundred persons on his payroll. Once an IYC president, he seems not to have had any stain on his person and a son of Epie Attissa in Yenagoa Local Government a local government that has not produced a governor since the creation of Bayelsa State.
Also, he seems to be the only person with a cut out vision of what he intends to do for Bayelsans if voted into power with his PEAP agenda. But the truth is that he cannot match with the two contenders financial wise. Of course, for most Bayelsans he would have been a better option as he is said to be much younger, smarter and with clear vision of what he wants but he lacks the financial muscle to match his opponents.
Although the incumbent is alleged of using state funds for his campaign while Sylva is also alleged of using the wealth he must have accumulated during his time as minster, Udengs is just using the little he is making from his private business. He also seems to be the only one moving into the nooks and crannies of the state and there is every tendency that he is going to give these two men a hot chase even though he may not win but he will definitely share most of their votes.
Dickson on the fence
Bayelsans are beginning to be worried about the silence of the former governor Seriake Dickson who single highhandedly installed the incumbent governor but all of a sudden became very mute. Political pundits and most Bayelsans are worried over his silence. Some are assuming that he may be working for Diri or against him underground while some are of the opinion that he may be working for Sylva or Eradiri.
But be that as it may, no confirmed information from him yet. Also, Goodluck Jonathan the father of the PDP in the state, seems not be so vocal even though a story had it from government house that he has given a nod to Diri while another story said that he also gave a nod to Sylva. For now, no news from the camp of the former President.
Conclusion
No matter what the election is not going to be an easy walk over as all parties are doing everything humanly possible to win including those that are banking on federal might and on INEC. Just recently the Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC Bayelsa State was said to have declared that results will be written manually even though he has denied saying that. People are also of the opinion that one of the candidates is planning to use that means to rig the election. The Election Day will soon be here and Bayelsans are eagerly waiting for what will happen.
Whatsoever is the outcome, one hopes it will not land the state once again in court as already, there are court cases here and there; one of them being against the deputy governorship candidate of APC Joshua Maciver and the recent one disqualifying Timipre Sylva from contesting although, plans according to information from his camp stated that he was going to appeal the judgment.
