…Applauds Gov Diri’s defection to APC
…Slams Senator Dickson over comments after governor’s defection
Former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan and a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) in Bayelsa, Dr Sylbriks Obriki has sent a notice that the next Senator that would represent Bayelsa West Senatorial District in 2027, must as a matter of right, come from Ekeremor.
Obriki gave this notice in a press briefing in Abuja on Friday where he gave vivid reasons why Bayelsa West Senatorial District next Senator must be from Ekeremor.
In his words, he said, “For the past 20years in this Fourth Republic we have only had two terms and by 2027, the Sagbama axis had occupied that position for a solid 20years while we only occupied the same position for eight years”.
On why his governor Diri Douye jumped ship despite running a second term, Dr Obriki said, “He did it to attract federal investments to the state, it was a selfless service to Bayelsans.
Speaking further, he said, “I joined politics at a very young age. I attended the Jos Convention, which was the beginning of the PDP, at that time when Obasanjo and Ekwueme ran for the presidential ticket.
“But the issue is that, actually I’ve never experienced this kind of large crowd, I have never. Even, we were in the VIP axis, to me personally, it was a bit too crowded because of the population; because it’s not about Bayelsa State, it is about everybody.
“You see, when you provide leadership, when you are a governor and you are providing leadership across board, people will like to celebrate you.
“I think it’s about the governor’s humility. It’s about the governor’s acceptance of development. It’s about the governor’s level of commitment towards development.
“It’s about the governor’s understanding about his people, what kind of services to provide at what time.
“Douye Diri, as far as I’m concerned, is a very wonderful person. Every single person is happy that Douye Diri wants to provide life for us. Diri is not a ceremonial leader, he’s somebody who believes in development.
“I think we had a course to celebrate him, it was like a celebration. And I believe those who are older than us in APC can attest to it that it was a celebration.
“All members of Ijaw Nation from Edo, Ondo, Akwa Ibom, Delta were adequately represented at the defection ceremony.
“I am talking about the level of enthusiasm, the level of commitment, the zeal to join APC.
“You see, Douye is a second term governor. He can finish his second tenure and move anywhere. And he’s a man from all dimensions, he is somebody who has the fear of God.
Still on why Governor Diri left PDP he said” the governor once told us that he was trying to construct roads to Brass. And he met the President and the President said there is renewed federal government partnership with the Bayelsa State Government.
“So that’s the kind of helpful thing that people need in this part of the world. You know, for us to look at the current situation of our states, the Federal Government is trying to partner with us to make progress, to make change in infrastructural development. Who knows now that Douye Diri is now a full member of APC, that partnership will be better, it will be more robust.
“When we are talking about the concept of Bayelsa as a state, the President will look at Bayelsa State as part of the centre. You know, it is not good when you are trying to develop to confront the federal government. It is not too okay.
“I think Douye Diri have been properly advised what method of communication to deploy when you are trying to assess the federal government as part of development in Bayelsa State.
“I believe that is probably one of the major reasons why he thinks he should defect to APC.
“And again, he is constructing roads again. The coastal road, from Lagos to Calabar, that road is going to benefit the Ijaw people more than any ethnic group in this country.
“And the President has approved that contract and they have settled it. So there are lots of benefits as far as I’m concerned. So anybody that is in Bayelsa State knows that the Governor is the Governor-General of Ijaw Nation, so Douye Diri is the leader of Ijaw Nation.
“It’s a very good development and we believe that the long-term development plan is always there for us to benefit as people from Bayelsa State.
On Senator Dickson’s outbursts after Diri defected, he said : “To me, I actually don’t want to debate or bring Dickson to any of my conversations for now. But for the fact that you have asked me this question, I will still be able to tell you that if he’s not on the same page with Douye Diri, he’s on his own.
“I listened to him, that particular interview he granted after the plenary. And I believe that he is a former Governor, which we respect, this one is beyond an individual thing. It involves the perfect existence of this state, the people of Ijaw Nation.
“Douye Diri has consulted both old and young before he took this decision. The people of Bayelsa State have accepted Diri’s position. The people of Bayelsa State believe that for us to be part of the Federal Government, we will begin to benefit more.
“Diri is an APC governor. If Dickson wants to be on his own, he has the power to stay on his own.
And I believe that at the end of the day, we’re going to know whether Dickson is the governor or Diri is the governor. If the people are not with Douye Diri at the end of the day, we’re going to know. If the people are with Diri at the end of the day, we’re going to know.
“And I’m trying to tell you that I’m very, very well convinced that the people of Bayelsa State are with Doye Diri. Even the last time, in that interview he granted to Arise tv, he said that the governors are defecting, whether the people are defecting with them.
“I believe that if the people are not defecting with Douye Diri, it is left for people to know. The people are much on ground to celebrate their leader, Sen. Douye Diri. So if Dickson feels that he’s not interested in partnering with Douye Diri he’s on his own.
On the zoning arrangements in Sagbama and Ekeremor Federal Constituency, he said: “I am from Ekeremor local government area and Dickson happens to come from Sagbama local government area. It is the only two local governments that have a federal constituency in this country in Bayelsa West Senatorial District.
“And I really want you journalists to carefully listen to me, so that those who want to read this will know the truth.
“You know, the Sagbama people have occupied the senate seat and by the end of 2027 that will be 20 years. It is only Senator Heineken Lokpobiri who has represented the Senate that happens to be from Ekeremor local government area and he just stayed for two terms.
“And when he was about to go back, it was this same Dickson who presided over a meeting and came up with the idea that the two local governments should stay up two-terms.
“And after his governorship tenure, he said he is going to spend one tenure to complete the present Deputy Governor’s tenure. Even in this last election, 2023, we argued with all the bitterness on the part of the Ekeremor people we decided that it is the turn of Ekeremor to produce the next Senator. It was the governor that intervened.
“The governor asked us to look, it is Dickson that handed over power to him, we should because of him, we should at least consider him to go back to the senate. And I believe, Dickson will be thinking that people voted for him because of his person, it is because of the respect people have for the governor as at that time.
“So if he thinks that same power, that same discussion, because the governor himself cannot even call Ekeremor people that look this time around you people should equally still look at me as the governor to allow Dickson to go for the third term, I don’t think the governor will do that kind of a thing.
“And again Dickson should understand that the Ekeremor people are ready, we will try our best to organize ourselves to work with our allies to make sure it ends in 2027.
“He may be strong, he thinks he is very strong. All his political history, Goodluck Jonathan helped him to become House of Reps member two times, Goodluck Jonathan still helped him to become governor, Douye Diri helped him to become a Senator.
“He has never, if he thinks that he is very powerful to prosecute this coming election, the Ekeremor people will do everything possible to see that we protect ourselves, we’ll do everything to make sure that we’re in the senate.
“I’m very, very, very happy that he is not in the same political party with us and let us know how he can proceed with this election.
Because that is why he may not even understand the effort, the role the governor played, to pick him to become Senator.
“And we are praying, and our people from Ekeremor are equally praying that he should not come to APC. So let him use his political structure to contest also.
“You know, you are from a different local government, and we are from a different local government where the minister comes from. So let him stay, let him join either ADC or PDP. So it is then we will know whether he has the capacity to dislodge the leadership, to still install himself as a Senator beyond 2027”.