Politics

Choosing Diri As Bayelsa Gov Spared Me Of Moral Burden – Ex-Gov

Published

4 years ago

January 7, 2022

Senator Seriake Dickson, representing Bayelsa West at the National Assembly, has boasted that he made the right choice by choosing Douye Diri and Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo as Governor and Deputy Governor of the state respectively.

Dickson said those who opposed him over the choice of Diri and Ewhrudjakpo as the flag bearers of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2019 governorship election had now seen the right decision he took.

The former governor spoke when he paid a yuletide visit to Ofoni, the hometown of the deputy governor in the Sagbama Local Government Area of the state, on Wednesday.

This was contained in a statement on Thursday by the Senior Special Assistant on Media to the deputy governor, Doubara Atasi.

Dickson, who handed over the baton of leadership to his successor on February 14, 2020, said he would have been struggling with a heavy moral burden if he had failed in his choice.

He said, “It is now clear to even those who doubted me when I said I prayerfully selected the pair of Senator Diri and Senator Ewhrudjakpo that I made the right choice. I would have been carrying a heavy moral burden, if I had decided otherwise.

“I know the number of people who called, spoke, advised and fought me saying Kolokuma has no vote. And I replied them saying, ‘Are they not part of this state, the local government of Major Isaac Boro and others who had served our people?’

“If I had taken the easy way out, though the fight would have been easier, but I would have left with some moral burden. I would have been querying myself, ‘oh you didn’t give the governorship to this people, when will they have it?’

“I was at the head of the whole thing but as I told people at Sampou (Diri’s hometown), we should always thank God because even the small strength, intellect and indeed everything came from God.”

The senator commended Ewhrudjakpo for his loyalty to Diri and advised him to shun the activities of mischief makers and fifth columnists, whose stock in trade is to cause divisions and strife in the polity.

He pointed out that Bayelsa was in safe hands under Diri and his deputy, and appreciated God for vindicating him and restoring the stolen mandate of the PDP.

Ewhrudjakpo, in his remarks, expressed gratitude to God for using the governor and Dickson to bring his political career to limelight.

He described them as his political godfathers, adding that he could not have attained his current position as deputy governor without the role the two leaders played and therefore, would remain eternally grateful to them.

Speaking on behalf of the Ofoni Federated Community, a chieftain of the PDP, Odiyovwi Osusu, thanked Dickson and members of his entourage for the visit and pledged the community’s continued support.

Related Topics:Douye Diri Seriake Dickson

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Politics

Dino Melaye Reacts To Malami’s Arraignment For Money Laundering

Published

13 hours ago

December 30, 2025

Editor

Ex-Kogi West senator, Dino Melaye, has reacted to the arraignment of a former Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, Abubakar Malami, before an Abuja Federal High Court.

Melaye wished Malami well as he began his trial for corruption.

Posting on X, the former lawmaker recalled how he was prosecuted by Malami over what he described as frivolous cases while he was the AGF.

He wrote: “Reminded me of how I was appearing in different courts when Malami as AGF was prosecuting me over frivolous cases including taking over one of the police cases against me. Wish him.well.”

Malami, his son Abdulaziz, and another individual are facing a 16-count charge of money laundering.

They were arraigned on allegations of unlawful acquisition and concealment of funds.

They all pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Politics

What PDP Said About Wike’s Media Parley

Published

1 day ago

December 29, 2025

Editor

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has accused the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, of being a constant agent of provocation in the political space, alleging that he creates trouble to mask selfish intentions.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, stated this in a statement issued on Monday in response to Wike’s media parley with selected journalists in Port Harcourt, also held on Monday.

According to the PDP, remarks made by the minister on several occasions are proof that he falls short of being a locus classicus of anti-democratic adventurism.

The party said Wike’s conduct was not new, stressing that he has consistently acted as an agent provocateur in the political arena, stirring controversy to advance personal interests.

The PDP further stated that since Wike assumed office as Governor of Rivers State in 2015, he has remained a recurrent source of trouble within the party’s leadership.

“From the Sheriff era, where he was a forerunner in the Sheriff-for-National Chairman movement and later turned to fight and remove Sheriff; later he championed the Uche Secondus-for-National Chairman movement (in fact, he granted a very combustible interview that polarized the party just before the convention) and then was the same person fighting to remove Secondus.

“The same Wike led the movement to produce Dr. Iyorchia Ayu as National Chairman against the advice of many party leaders, and so soon thereafter, it was Wike again who led the Ayu-must-go struggle.

“By his end-of-year media chat, Minister Nyesom Wike has reiterated his support for, and in fact declared that he is the ‘number one supporter’ of the presumptive candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the 2027 Presidential election, while remaining a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, confirming the basis of his expulsion from the PDP, for anti-party activities,” the statement said.

Politics

JUST IN: INEC Excludes PDP From Ekiti Governorship Election

Published

1 day ago

December 29, 2025

Editor

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the 2026 Ekiti governorship election, Dr Wole Oluyede, and his deputy were conspicuously absent as the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, released the provisional list of party candidates ahead of the election.

INEC on Monday posted the list of candidates from 12 political parties vying for the state’s top job at its office on New Iyin Road, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State.

The list shows that the All Progressives Congress, APC, is fielding the incumbent governor, Biodun Oyebanji, with Monisade Afuye as his running mate.

Other candidates include Opeyemi Falegan of the Accord Party, with Omoyemi Olaleye as deputy; Akande Oluwasegun of the African Action Congress, paired with Oluwasanmi Fajuyigbe; and Ayodeji Ojo of the Action Democratic Party, with Itunu Ibitoye as running mate.

Similarly, the African Democratic Congress is presenting Oluwadare Bejide and Paul Olowoyeye, while the Action Peoples Party has Bidemi Awogbemi and Akinyemi Adewumi on its ticket.

The PDP’s absence may not be unconnected with the leadership crisis currently rocking the party at the national level.