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Barely one month after the Governorship election in Bayelsa state was held but lost to All Progressives Congress APC David Lyon, has the out-going governor sitting inside CREEK HAVEN Yenagoa, Bayelsa state seat of political power Honourable Seriake Dickson launched a retaliatory attack on his Rivers state fellow PDP Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike. First, was the Chieftaincy award bestowed to Rivers state governor Wike by Ogbakor Ikwerre Worldwide on Saturday 8th, of December, 2019 where governor Wike challenged other ethnic groups in Rivers state not to localize their struggle for being elected governor come 2023 but to close ranks with other groups in the state and strategize for them to be elected governor of Rivers state.
Few days later, Bayelsa state Governor Seriake Dickson was accused by Governor Wike for sneaking into Rivers state to be precise into Kalabariland where the Ijaws are predominant dwellers without following protocols, a situation he sees as dividing Rivers state people that he had in the past 5 years united as one people. The Bayelsa state governor paid visit to Amanyanabo of Kalabari kingdom Professor Theophilus J. T Princewill and this irked Governor Wike who complained officially to kalabari chiefs and elders whom paid courtesy visit to him at government House Port Harcourt on Wednesday 11th of December, 2019. “You can see how people are trying to divide a state. A fellow governor would come from somewhere to create division. Already, we have gone back to court in relation to Soku Oil Wells. This is the man who is claiming Kula Oil Wells and Soku. I have gone back to court and we will return the Soku Oil Wells for Rivers state. This is the same man you claim loves you and you roll out drums against protocol. If he (Amanyanabo of kalabari) continues the acts of division if any of such things happen again, I will take necessary action. I will not listen to any further excuse that is why I am saying this publicly. Tell him to respect constituted authority. It is not good for anyone to come and divide Rivers state, because the state is one. It is unfortunate what my colleague did. I handed him over to God and prayed for God to do his will. I want to publicly lay a complaint on the action of Amanyanabo of Kalabari. The next time it happens, I will act as a governor. The Amanyanabo of Abonnema didn’t do it. He called me on telephone when the governor of Bayelsa Dickson tried to create problems in Rivers state. The Amanyanabo of Abonnema called me and said how can that be? He Bayelsa state Governor did not call me. The Amanyanabo of Kalabari did not call me. What he did was to roll out drums and receive the Bayelsa state. That day I would have removed him but I held myself. What they would do is to go to Radio and abuse me. But I am used to insults. I am trying to complain to you people”.
But the only son of the Amanyanabo of Kalabari kingdom Petroleum Engineer Prince Tonye Princewill in a media report fired back at his father’s critics saying “What is wrong in my father the Amanyanabo of Kalabari kingdom receiving in his Palace (at Buguma Kalabari, the Headquarters of Asari Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State) a fellow Ijaw man, who is the governor of Bayelsa state, Honourable Henry Seriake Dickson”.
The brouhaha generated by the speech of Gov. Wike at his Ogbakor Ikwerre Organization Worldwide actually took several interpretation as the Rivers state Ijaw ethnic group who are already positioning themselves as probable Governorship materials to take over from Governor Wike come 2023 felt betrayed by a man they fought for his enthronement in 2015 and re-elected in 2019 and is surreptitiously rooting for another Ikwerre son Rt. Honourable Austin Opara to take over from him.