Politics

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

Published

4 years ago

January 7, 2022

Editor

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

Edo Assembly Declines To Confirm Ex-lawmaker As commissioner Over DSS Petition

Published

17 minutes ago

September 30, 2025

Editor

The Edo State House of Assembly on Tuesday declined to confirm a former member of the House, Chris Okaeben, for appointment as commissioner, over an alleged petition before the Department of State Service, DSS.

The Speaker of the Assembly, Blessing Agbebaku, disclosed this during the confirmation of commissioner-nominees at an emergency plenary sitting.

The House, however, cleared and confirmed, John Akhigbe, Festus Ebea and Dr Elizabeth Ebosele.

Others are Dr Jerry Uwangue, Dr Kenneth Okoruwa Ihensekhien and Barr. Usenbo Paul Ehigie.

Okaeben, was a former member of the House representing Oredo West Constituency.

Agbebaku told the House that the report from the screening committee before him stated that the former lawmaker has issues to settle with the DSS.

He said, “Six out of the seven commissioner-nominees before us today have been cleared and confirmed, except one, who is our former colleague, Hon Chris Okaeben, who has a question to answer with DSS. So I think he has to report to the DSS office for clearance.

“That is the report before me. The report is from the screening committee and I am not a member of the committee. The committee submitted a report.

“After his appearance with the DSS. They can take him and clear him. That is not a problem at all.”

The Speaker, however, did not disclose the nature of the petition the embattled lawmaker has with the security agency.

Politics

2027: Jonathan Will Contest Under PDP, Return To Aso Rock — Jerry Gana

Published

24 hours ago

September 29, 2025

Editor

Former Minister of Information and Orientation, Professor Jerry Gana, has disclosed that ex-president Goodluck Jonathan will contest again in 2027.

Gana made this remark while speaking to journalists in Minna, the Niger State capital.

According to him, Jonathan will contest in the next presidential election, as the flagbearer of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

According to him, Nigerians had experienced life under two presidents after Jonathan and were now yearning for his return.

“In 2015, former President Goodluck Jonathan said his ambition was not worth the blood of Nigerians,” Gana said.

“After him, another President ruled for eight years, and now another has ruled for two years.

“Nigerians have seen the difference, and the difference is very clear. Nigerians are now asking us to bring back our friend, former President Goodluck Jonathan.

“I can confirm that Goodluck Ebele Jonathan will contest the presidential election in 2027 as PDP candidate, and we should be prepared to vote for him to return as President again,” he added.

Politics

How I Survived Kidnap, Assassination Attempt – Rivers Speaker

Published

24 hours ago

September 29, 2025

Editor

The Speaker of Rivers House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, said he is thankful to God for surviving a kidnapping and, an assassination attempt in the past years.
Amaewhule made this known during his 52nd birthday thanksgiving service at the All Saints Anglican Church, Eliozu, Obio/Apkor Local Government Area, Rivers State.

“I am not just marking another birthday but acknowledging that many people had planned to take his life in the last one year, but God didn’t allow them,” he said.
Recounting how he survived a harrowing experience in 2008, he said that he narrowly escaped death during the incident.

Amaewhule noted that he was abducted by some unidentified gunmen at his residence as he arrived after a Sunday church service.

“Some of you were here in 2008 when a preacher was preaching right here on a Sunday service, on that faithful day, I didn’t know the people who came to kidnap me were also in the service,” he said.

“After service, they tactically followed me to my residence, tied up my security guard, and abducted me and took me to a forest where they held me hostage for five days.

“They placed thorns under my feet and inflicted several injuries on my head and body in the process of moving me from one hideout to another within the forest.

“They fed me with biscuits throughout the period even as I almost bled to death.”

The speaker, however, expressed gratitude to God for his numerous blessings, guidance, and preservation over the years.

“When God does things for you, it is important to appreciate him for more.”