Bayelsa Lawmakers Seek Diri’s Support For Second Term

BAYELSA

Majority of the members of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly are seeking a return to the legislative arm despite allegations of divided loyalty, poor performance and poor party relations levelled against them by their constituents.

Governor Douye Diri seems to hold all the aces on who will return to the State Assembly come 2023 in spite of predicted confrontation from those loyal to the former governor, Senator Seriake Dickson.

It was gathered from senior party source that though the relationship between the legislators and the executive arm led by Governor Douye Diri had been cordial in the last two years, the governor’s prosperity group is also mulling a way to ensure total loyalty with some key ‘governor’s boys’ replacing the ‘Dickson’s boys’ in the Assembly.

Our correspondent gathered that despite pressure from those seeking elective offices, Governor Diri has insisted that those interested in returning should embark on extensive consultation and ensure their constituents and party leaders at grassroots approve their return in 2023.

In Bayelsa west, the aspirant to contest for the Senate is the former governor and senator representing the district, SeriakeDickson. He is far ahead of other aspirants despite the claims and counter claims on zoning between Ekeremor and Sagbamalocal government areas of the district. The contenders include a member of the House of Representatives, Mr Fred Agbedi and a former state executive member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Pastor Donald Danuemueghan.

Already, while many have started extensive consultation with grassroots PDP leaders, others are being urged to come out of their shells and challenge incumbent Assembly members. It is the same political game that is playing out at the National Assembly seats where names such as the former speaker and now, secretary to state government (SSG), Mr KomboweiBenson and former managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief Timi Alaibe are being mentioned as possible replacement to the incumbent senator representing Central Senatorial District, Senator CleopasMoses.