WALE ELEGBEDE writes 
WALE ELEGBEDE writes on the moves by some interests to tinker with the subsisting power-sharing arrangement between the two local governments that constitute Bayelsa West ahead of the October 31 by-election in the senatorial district
Created in 1996 from part of Rivers State from a name derived from the first few letters of the names of the major local government areas from which it was formed – Brass LGA (BALGA), Yenagoa (YELGA) and Sagbama (SALGA), hence, the letters BA + YEL + SA, Bayelsa State is the least populated state with the smallest number of local governments in Nigeria, but it is oil-rich.
With a population of over two million people spread across the eight local government areas, Bayelsa has 1,806 polling units, 105 wards, three senatorial districts, five federal constituencies and 24 members of the State House of Assembly. Although the Bayelsa governorship election is an off-season poll due to court disputes and decisions, all other elective positions, however, follow the general election schedule.
Interestingly, the state has had five governors and two acting governors, all elected under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The incumbent, Senator Douye Diri, is the sixth governor of the state. Recently, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced the schedule for by-elections affecting 12 constituencies across eight states in both federal and state legislative houses including Bayelsa West and Bayelsa Central senatorial districts.
The senatorial seats in Bayelsa West and Central senatorial districts were declared vacant following the swearing- in of the former occupants, Senator Diri and Lawrence Ehwrudjakpo as governor and deputy governor of the state respectively.
Expectedly, all and sundry aspired for the seats especially in Bayelsa West, but as the saying goes, when the jungle matures, the boys will be separated from the boys. And that was what happened in the zone ahead of the October 31 polls.
Stakeholders from within and outside the Bayelsa West, decided to narrow their choice of candidate for the election to the immediate past governor of the state, Chief Seriake Dickson, adducing his capacity, statesmanship and zoning principle as his edge over others.
Bayelsa West is made up of two local governments; Sagbama and Ekeremor local government areas. Dickson is from Sagbama. Both local governments have an unwritten but virile zoning arrangement for House of Representatives and senatorial seats, regardless of the party line. The current member of the House of Representatives is from Ekeremor.
However, the cordiality and mutual understanding between the two local governments appear to be on the edge recently with the decision of a former deputy governor of the state, Chief Peremobowei Ebebi, to join the contest for the vacant Bayelsa West Senatorial District seat.
Expectedly, deep resentments, denouncement and anger have trailed his aspiration because political stakeholders appear uncomfortable with Ebebi’s decision because, according to them, it violates an unwritten agreement on power rotation between the two local government areas making up the district.
The positions of senator and member of House of Representatives in Bayelsa West Senatorial District are shared between the two councils. The former deputy governor who has indicated interest in the senatorial contest is from the same Ekeremor Local Government Area as Hon, Fred Agbedi, who represents the area in the lower chamber.
Opposition to an Ekeremor candidate cuts across party lines as the key political operators from the two local government areas continue to insist on the existing power-sharing arrangement. Last month, the top political stakeholders held a critical meeting where it was decided that Ekeremor people should not contest the vacant position in adherence to the existing agreement on power rotation since they already have the incumbent House of Representatives member.
The leaders of the senatorial district in a communique issued after the meeting tagged Bayelsa West All Political Parties Summit declared that from the inception of the present political dispensation there has been an unwritten but conventionally affirmed zoning arrangement that had guided the two local government areas in presenting candidates for the two National Assembly elective positions.
They recalled how the zoning arrangement had promoted harmony and peace in the senatorial district adding that attempts by some individuals to derail the unifying arrangement prompted stakeholders in 2015 to reaffirm the zoning arrangement as it was the best antidote to rancour, divisiveness, unhealthy political rivalry between the two local government areas.
The leaders, therefore, agreed that they shall continue to sustain the arrangement to ensure peaceful rancour free, harmonious and cohesive political electioneering process as one people in one accord. The communique read in part: “The standing zoning arrangement for the positions of Senate and the House of Representatives between Sagbama and Ekeremor is hereby affirmed.
“That all political parties are herewith resolved to field only candidates from Sagbama Local Government Area for the position of Senate in the forthcoming senatorial by-election. “The subsisting zoning arrangement should be duly respected by all political gladiators from Sagbama and Ekeremor local government areas.
“The would- be winner of the senatorial by-election from Sagbama Local Government Area shall only serve out the subsisting tenure that would lapse in June 2023 and no more.
“The two National Assembly seats for Senate and House of Representatives shall after June 2023 automatically reverse with Ekeremor producing the senator and Sagbama producing the House of Representatives” Political leaders from the different political parties from the senatorial district, who attended the meeting included chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Solomon Aguana; Chief Thompson Okorotie; Amb Felix Oboro; Hon. Fyneman Wilson; former Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri who was represented by All Progressive Congress (APC) Deputy Chairman, Orubebe Ogeibiri and a member of APC Board of Trustees, Chief Peres Peretu.
Also, prominent APC chieftains and coordinators in Ekeremor Constituency 1 in collaboration with APC Grassroot Mobilization Sagbama/Ekeremor condemned in strong terms the decision of Ebebi or any other person from Ekeremor to contest in the senatorial election.
“Any other young person in the race from Ekeremor may be forgiven for their ignorance to the existing arrangement except Ebebi, who has been a major proponent of the power sharing arrangement and has benefited as speaker and deputy governor from the district even at times when Ekeremor also had a senator,” the group said.
Chairman of the group, Mr. Ebide Brown, said that the stakeholders in the local government area would resist any unconscionable assault on the zoning arrangement. He added that it was unjust and unfair for an Ekeremor person to contest the senatorial election with Fred Agbedi occupying the House of Representatives seat in the National Assembly.
His words: “No candidate can undermine the tenets of the zoning arrangement and expect us to work for him. We have resolved not to work for any candidate from Ekeremor because it is wrong.
The candidate of APC in the senatorial by-election should be from Sagbama since Hon. Fred Agbedi is in the House of Representatives now. We cannot deviate from the zoning arrangement between Sagbama and Ekeremor. The zoning arrangement must be honoured for the sake of posterity and I expect my party, the APC to do so. We cannot just go against the wishes of the people and count only on federal might to win election.”
According to the group, political leaders and stakeholders of the senatorial district are uncomfortable with the decision of the former deputy governor because it violates an unwritten agreement on power rotation between Sagbama and Ekeremor local government areas that make up the two local government areas in the district.
However, amid the zoning brawl, some prominent Ijaw leaders, including Alhaji Asari Dokubo and chieftains of both Ijaw National Congress (INC) and Ijaw Youths Congress (IYC), have endorsed the immediate past governor, as their candidate for the forthcoming Bayelsa West senatorial by-election.
This endorsement by the pan- Ijaw socio-political group cuts across party divides and is said to be informed by the need of the Ijaw nation to send its best to represent them at the national level.
Rising from a meeting in Yenagoa, the state capital, the group, under the aegis of Patriots of the Ijaw Struggle, said it was not only impressing it upon Dickson to contest the seat vacated by new deputy governor, Lawrence Ewhrujakpo, but also calling on all Bayelsans and those who have the interest of the Ijaw Nation at heart to support and massively vote for the candidacy of the former governor, as he was clearly the best man for the job.
In a communiqué jointly signed by Chief Frank Omare and four other past presidents of the IYC, including Dokubo, the leaders said they had “x-rayed the many aspirants who have indicated their interest to represent Bayelsa West senatorial district and have taken the pain to evaluate each and every one of them, their background, educational qualifications and political persuasions, as well as their belief in our undying Ijaw struggle” and arrived at the conclusion that Dickson is the most qualified to represent both the senatorial zone and the Ijaw nation at this point.
The communiqué said what placed Dickson head and shoulders above other aspirants was not only because he had experience as a former member of the House of Representatives, but also his sterling performance as a two-term governor of the state.
As it stands, it appears that the largest chunk of Bayelsa West constituents is in sync with the current zoning arrangement which has guaranteed equity, peace and sense of belonging in the district. It is expected that those itching to change the goalpost in the middle of a football match will have a rethink and ensure that the will of the people prevails.
