APC
WINNING WAYS
By Ibrahim Bakare
Prior to the November 16th, 2019 governorship election in Bayelsa state www.towncrier.ng carried out unscientific opinion polls which may not only be a baseline report but from various active voters in the 8 Local Government Areas of Bayelsa state. Sagbama Local Government Area where Governor Seriake Dickson and running mate to PDP Governorship candidate hail from has a voting population of 105,705 eligible registered voters. Ekeremor Local Government Area has voting strength of 123,567 while Ogbia Local Government Area has 108, 691 voting strength as ex-president GoodLuck Jonathan hails from here. Brass Local Government Area which has 65,900 registered voters and Nembe, with two dominating communities where Amanyanabo of Nembe His Eminence King Dr. Edmund Daukoru is holding sway for the traditional institution as ex Minister of Energy during President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration also had current Minister of State for Petroleum Timpre Sylva as his Aide then. The two communities of Bassamabiri and Ogbolobiri all have come together to supporting the candidate of APC in the highly contested Bayelsa state Governorship poll. Bayelsa state central senatorial district has Southern Ijaw with the highest voting strength of 168, 844 registered voters where David Lyon APC Governorship candidate hails from remains sure bet for APC
The good people of Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area is a PDP strong hold as Timi Alaibe a man after the CREEK HAVEN since 2003 when he had wanted to dislodge the then occupant late DSP Alamieyeseigha and had consistently contested at each electoral years Governorship primary election without success. At the eve of the main election it has been reported that he challenged Senator Duoye Diri Governorship candidate of PDP as Abuja federal High Court had reportedly disqualified the candidature of Senator Diri on Friday, 15th of November, 2019. Senator Diri also hails from Kolokuma/Opokuma LGA with a voting strength of 50,477. But with the disgrace of Honourable Tonye sena from Odi the former Speaker of Bayelsa state House of Assembly PDP’s dominance in the area is doubtful.
Read Also: GOVERNOR SERIAKE DICKSON’S 2020 EXIT PLAN
The true
battle ground in the governorship election is Yenagoa which has cosmopolitan
demographic background with a lot of non-indigenous people. It has a voting
strength of 180, 263 voters. But with the economic hardship hitting the people
they may turn their anger against PDP led government of Seriake Dickson which
may result from disenchantment against PDP governorship candidate. Another factor
is that of Epie Atissa o dominant ethnic group in Bayelsa but had not tested
Governorship or Deputy Governorship position has a member of House of Assembly
Honourable Ofor Orji of PDP will be strictly observed as he any spring up
charges that will swing votes to his party-PDP.
THE
ROLE OF EX MILITANTS IN BAYELSA STATE
The role of
the ex-militants who are well captured in the Presidential Amnesty Programme is
well known as majority of them have shifted their loyalty to David Lyon APC
governorship candidate. Majority of them had been either rehabilitated via
economic recovery project which he provided as a contractor to Multinational
Oil companies’ facilities security Surveillance of Pipelines and Flow stations.
In one of their campaign outing the repentant ex militants including their
leader Ebikabowei Victor-Ben popularly known as Boyloaf described the incumbent
Governor Seriake Dickson as an emperor while saying that David Lyon is being
held in admiration as a philanthropist and a man who will govern Bayelsa state
as from February 2020 when Dickson’s second term must have come to an end.
Other ex-Militants such as the leader of Movement For the Emancipation of Niger
Delta –MEND Government Ekpemupolo popularly addressed as Tompolo has support fo
APC Governorship candidate David Lyon. Elder statesman Edwin Clark and former
Acting Governor of Bayelsa state Peremobowei Ebebi moved from PDP to APC and he
comes the same LGA with Dickson.
ROLE OF SECURITY AGENCIES
The November
16th, 2019 Governorship election will be security tight as about 32, 000 Police
men and women had been drafted to secure flash points including marine
Policemen and navy person and Amphibious Military officers already deployed for
Operation Crocodiles Smile 4 have the waterways covered as sensitive electoral
materials would be distributed via the
waterways.
The
Inspector General of Police Mohammed Adamu who was recently at Yenagoa admitted
that about 15 Commissioners of Police, three Assistant Inspector General of
Police A.I.G and Deputy Inspector General of Police D.I.G all have been
redeployed temporarily to Bayelsa state for the election proper. The
Commissioners of Police involved are Joseph Murktar, Bashir Makura, Habu Sani, Danladi Bitrus Lalas, Garba baba
Umar, Sanusi Buba, Bello Mokwashi, Usman Sule Gomina, Mohammed Gimba Omolola
Bishi, and Acting Commissioner of Police
Odumosu Olusegun et.c all have been drafted to Monitor the bayelsa state
governorship election.
INEC
NATIONAL CHAIRMAN’S CHARGE
Earlier in
the month of November, 2019 Independent national Electoral Commission
–INEC Professor Yakubu Mahmood visited
Bayelsa state where he said “ we to assure you that as far as the credible
process are concerned we shall maintain our neutrality as umpires. INEC is not a political party. INEC has no
candidate in the election. The chopice of who becomes the next governor are
entirely in the hands of the people of Bayelsa state. We have delivered all
non-sensitive materials for the election. We have secured funding and made
funds available to the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for administration
of the election. We have no problem whatsoever. We will deploy straight from
our office in Yenagoa to the registration Areas to make it faster for us to be able to open the Polling Units at 8-am. We
are committed to ensuring that voters don’t wait for INEC officials and
materials to arrive. We should be there waiting for voters to come and vote.”
