Politics

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

Published

3 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

2027: Drama As Two ‘ADA’ Emerge In INEC’s List Of 110 Party Registration Bids

Published

11 hours ago

June 26, 2025

Editor

Two political associations seeking registration as political parties have submitted identical acronyms to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

According to Vanguard, the first is the All Democratic Alliance, ADA, being promoted by Chief Akin Ricketts and said to be one of the special purpose vehicles that the anti-Tinubu coalition is seeking to use as a platform in the 2027 general election.

While the Ricketts ADA is 109 on the INEC list, the other ADA, Advanced Democratic Alliance, is 110, the last one the list unveiled by the electoral umpire.

This second ADA has Alhaji Ahmadu Suleiman as Protem Chairman and Zipporah Pius Miracles as Secretary.

The Ricketts ADA has its national headquarters at Ground Floor, UAC Complex, Plot 273 Samuel Adesujo Ademulegun Street, CBD, Abuja, FCT.

Suleiman’s ADA has its national headquarters at 1 Frandriance Close, Off Oda Crescent, Off Aminu Kano Crescent, Wuse 2, Abuja.

Ahead of the 2027 general elections, no fewer than 110 political associations have written to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, seeking registration as political parties.

Politics

Damagum Is PDP’s Problem – Ex-Benue Gov Suswam

Published

22 hours ago

June 25, 2025

Editor

Former governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam, on Wednesday declared that the acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Umar Damagum, is the problem of the party.

Suswam, who insisted that Damagum is not a leader, said the party has been drifting downwards since he assumed the role of acting National Chairman.

Featuring on Channels Television’s Politics Today, the former governor said, “There is no integrity in the leadership of PDP, I’m happy that Wike said it.

Politics

Confusion In PDP As NWC Counters Damagum, Rejects Anyanwu’s Reinstatement

Published

23 hours ago

June 25, 2025

Editor

The National Working Committee, NWC, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has dismissed claims that the party’s 100th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for Monday, June 30, 2025, has been postponed.

A statement signed by key members of the NWC on Wednesday also denied reports that Samuel Anyanwu has been reinstated as the party’s National Secretary.

The NWC said the statement comes in response to a press briefing earlier in the day by the Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum.

DAILY POST reports that Damagum had announced the postponement of the NEC meeting and said Anyanwu is to resume as National Secretary.

Rejecting Damagum’s declarations, the NWC said his pronouncements were contrary to the resolution of the 99th NEC meeting, which scheduled the next NEC session for June 30 and referred all matters concerning the National Secretary’s office to that meeting.

“The pronouncements by the Acting National Chairman have no foundation as no organ of the Party (including the NWC), individual or group has the power to cancel, overrule, veto or vary the resolution of the National Executive Committee (NEC),” the statement read.

Citing Section 31 (3) of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017), the NWC emphasized that NEC is the highest decision-making organ of the party after the National Convention and that its resolutions are binding on all members and organs of the party.

The NWC described the announcement regarding Anyanwu’s resumption as “misleading” and reaffirmed that the matter remains under the jurisdiction of the forthcoming NEC meeting.

The statement was jointly signed by Deputy National Chairman (South), Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja, Acting National Secretary, Setonji Koshoedo, National Treasurer, Ahmed Yayari Mohammed, National Auditor, Okechukwu Obiechina Daniel, and National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, among others.