Just like governor Chinwoke Mbadinuju, who ruledAnambra state between 1999 and 2003 and SenatorRashidi Ladoja, who led Oyo state between 2003 and 2007, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) bared its fangs again in Bayelsa state, axing governor Timipre Sylva from seeking a second term in office. Like in the 2003 instance when governor Mbadinuju was stopped by the PDP, the situation this time has been dogged by lots of drama, with attendant court cases. The battle has been painted as between the governor and President Goodluck Jonathan, who vacated the governor's seat in the state before Sylva took over, though the Presidency has repeatedly washed off Jonathan's hands in the crisis. The truth however is that current happenings in Bayelsa today are rooted in history, which are largely contemporary as well.Genesis of the imbroglioA number of revelations coming through to The Friday Edition however indicate that the stage for the current war in Bayelsa state PDP was unwittingly set by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, when he facilitated the emergence of Sylva in 2007, as against the wish of the then outgoing governor Goodluck Jonathan. The then governor had won the ticket of the PDP to contest the 2007 election but was called upon by his party to pick up the running mate slot to the late President Umaru Yar'Adua. He agreed but was not allowed to determine his successor to the Bayelsa gubernatorial seat. Obasanjo was said to have simply called on his then Minister of State for Petroleum, Edmund Daukoru, who was said to have recommended his then Special Assistant, Sylva as the candidate for the governor's seat. Before then, not much was heard of Sylva as an aspirant in the race. Though, Jonathan did not fight the perceived imposition, in the spirit of party supremacy, his loyalists were patently unhappy that the incoming Vice President of Nigeria was not even allowed a say in determining who rules his home state.Investigations by the Friday Edition indicated that the fears of many loyalists of President Jonathan, who were opposed to Sylva's emergence in 2007, became actualised with the subsequent steps taken by Sylva immediately he took over the reins of leadership in Bayelsa State. It was confirmed that the mindset of Sylva's government was to show the world the inadequacies of Jonathan's one and a half years rule in Bayelsa. The new governor was quoted in a widely publicised interview that he met a state that was largely comatose. He also had a brawl with the man who served as Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice under Jonathan, Hon. Henry Dickson, who incidentally has emerged the standard-bearer of the PDP for the February 2012 election. The conflict and the charges of Sylva's government against Dickson, which bothers on the purchase of some law books by Jonathan's administration, showcased the intention to paint the picture that the last administration in the state got enmeshed in shady deals. To further display his government's disregard for the then vice-president, Sylva was said to have personally linked up with some forces in the Presidency under Yar'Adua, who were out to rubbish Jonathan and probably ensure he was dropped during Yar'Adua's second term in office.Sources told The Friday Edition that as a confirmation of the desire to firmly uproot Jonathan's influence from his state, Sylva ordered the unilateral replacement of the state executive of the PDP in the 2008 state congress, after he had attended a meeting alongside Jonathan, where it was decided that the executive would be made to remain in office. Sources confirmed that whereas, some state governors in the South South asked for the input of the then Vice President Jonathan in the composition of the state cabinet, because they saw him as the new leader of the zone, Sylva constituted his cabinet in 2007 without the input of Jonathan and other stakeholders. Investigations by the Friday Edition further confirmed that the Bayelsa governor joined hands with the kitchen cabinet of the former President Yar'Adua to limit Jonathan's influence in the Villa. Instances were cited where on the advice of the former Delta state governor, Chief James Ibori and Sylva and a number of other kitchen cabinet members in the former administration, Jonathan's representations were set aside. A burst up was said to have once occurred between the late President and his deputy over the composition of the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) as a result of the bid to replace Jonathan's nominee with that of Sylva, while Ibori was said to have taken over the role of the president's main adviser on Niger Delta, having succeeded in relegating Jonathan's influence.With all these getting to the hearing of Jonathan's loyalists, the anger against Obasanjo's decision to reject the gubernatorial aspirant suggested by Jonathan's camp as a replacement when he was named Yar'Adua's running mate continued to grow. Many were lamenting the fact that were it not for Obasanjo who stopped Timi Alaibe, withdrew Jonathan and refused his suggested replacement as gubernatorial candidate, the situation in the state would not have so degenerated. The anger grew further as the push for the Doctrine of Necessity took over the nation's centre stage in 2010. Not many saw the hands of Governor Sylva in the bid to stall the invocation of the Doctrine by the National Assembly, a decision that confirmed Dr Goodluck Jonathan as Acting President following the protracted illness of his boss, the late President Umaru Yar'Adua.Jonathan's large-heartednessWith the scenario above, it would be expected that Jonathan's emergence as President in 2010 would immediately spark a huge and open row between the Presidency and Bayelsa Government House. Having seen the reality in the polity, governor Sylva and his supporters had ceased all hostilities against Jonathan but the wound in the hearts of Jonathan's supporters would not heal fast.Investigations revealed that while the shoe turned on the other side, Sylva's camp kick started a number of peace moves towards the president's camp. For instance, the governor's camp picked up the 2011 campaign with vigour, promoting Jonathan as the true son of Bayelsa, that was however after Jonathan had calmed his supporters against picking quarrels with the governor. It was gathered that immediately Jonathan emerged, he insisted that everyone must see himself as one and that all camps in Bayelsa and indeed the South South must coalesce.The president was said to have displayed the elder's role mostly during the late 2010, the days preceding the gubernatorial primaries of January 2011. At least four members of the Jonathan's camp showed interest in the gubernatorial race then. The ambition of Senator Emmanuel Paulker was especially seen as creating ripples in the governor's camp as it was believed that the Senator could spring surprises if he got the backing of the President to contest the January 2011 primaries. According to sources, President Jonathan not only prevailed on Senator Paulker to drop his gubernatorial ambition, he also asked those from his camp to back governor Timipre Sylva as the candidate of the PDP in the January primaries. With Sylva's emergence in January, the stage was set for his victory in the April polls, but that ambition was further cut short by the ruling of the Court of Appeal which nullified the plan to conduct elections in states where bye elections to the 2007 elections were ordered by the Court of Appeal following rulings of Election Tribunals. That development set the stage for the current scenario in Bayelsa state, which keeps Sylva's ambition of ruling the state till 2016 in the balance.Right now, Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson has emerged as the candidate of the PDP for the February elections in a primary election conducted on November 19. Sylva had gone to court, seeking an order to compel the PDP to recognize him as the rightful candidate on the basis of the January primaries or in the alternative allow him participate in the new process.How Sylva got to this pass In October, the Green Movement, a pro-Jonathan group in the Bayelsa state PDP issued a statement endorsing Hon. Henry Dickson as its candidate for the November 19 primaries. A number of persons overlooked the statement as another political talk, which is common in a political era, but not the governor's camp. The group's statement was said to have been made public after the group secured a leave of President Jonathan to allow it free hand this time.Sources confirmed that members of the group made a number of representations to President Jonathan on its frustrations with Sylva. It was also gathered that a number of Bayelsa elders also made representations to the president, asking him to hands off the processes that would throw up the new candidate of the PDP for the gubernatorial election fixed for February 2012.The Green Movement, in a statement in October declared support for Henry Dickson, a member of the House of Representatives, declaring that its decision was based on alleged non-performance of incumbent Governor Timipre Sylva. The movement, which emerged in Bayelsa in 2004, was said to have become a mainstream grouping within the Bayelsa PDP, which also facilitated Sylva's victory in 2007. Its members include heavyweights like Dr. Tarila Tebepah, Hon. Fynman Wilson and HRH A.J. Turner among others. They claimed that Sylva no longer merits their continued support.The communiqu, signed by Dr. Tarila Tebepah, Chairman, Bishop B.W. Deyi-Eremienyo, Secretary and HRH A.J. Turner, Treasurer, indicated that the movement's decision to present Dickson as the PDP candidate was due to 'his track record of party loyalty, consistency, capacity to execute the transformation agenda and to promote peace, harmony and development in the state.'The Green Movement said it withdrew support from Sylva on account of non-performance, lack of accountability and transparency in governance, the communiqu stated, adding that Sylva ensured the exclusion of stakeholders and was hostile to the leadership and strategic interests of the Ijaw nation.While many were still savouring the implication of the statement from the Green Movement, Bayelsa elders, issued another statement to give the clear indication that the posturing by the movement was not a fluke. In response to certain moves by the Nigerian Governors' Forum (NGF) to save Sylva, the Bayelsa elders asked the forum to stay clear and leave the Bayelsa stakeholders to sort the issues.At a press briefing on 11 November, the elders stated that the people of Bayelsa State should be allowed to decide who becomes their next governor.Chairman of Bayelsa Elders, Col. Sam Inokoba (retd), who read the statement on behalf of the group, said that the Governors Forum, as a body, should desist putting the PDP under pressure because of the Bayelsa issue. 'The re-electability of Timipre Sylva is a decision that the people of Bayelsa State and his party, the PDP should determine,' the elders said.The elders stated: ''We, the Bayelsa elders and opinion leaders have viewed with grave concern, the ongoing debate concerning the upcoming governorship elections in Bayelsa State and would like to state that there has been undue meddlesomeness by various groups in the internal matters of Bayelsa State and the PDP.''What appears very disturbing about the Bayelsa situation is the attempt by the Governors Forum to interfere in the PDP governorship candidacy by putting pressure on President Goodluck Jonathan to ensure the return of Governor Sylva. It is worrisome that the entire PDP governors will leave important state duties in their various states to converge in Abuja to lobby the president for the return of Sylva irrespective of whether he has performed well or not in the eyes of Bayelsans.''The chairman of the Governors' Forum, Rt Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, as a democrat himself knows that this is not the best way to force through the candidacy of a colleague.''There is nothing wrong if the PDP governors give a helping hand to a colleague through campaigning for him if he is the party's candidate, but until that decision is made, they have no moral right to influence his adoption by the party. The crucial acid test must be based on the performance of Governor Sylva over the past four years and the decision must be left in the hands of the people who are the best to decide the extent of his performance during that period.''We are aware of the huge funds dedicated by the Bayelsa State government to lobby various persons involved in this matter. Such funds should be used for the development of the state which is in dire need of development after five years of impoverishment by the administration of Timipre Sylva.''Equally, the members of the National Assembly should concentrate on the passage laws and mobilising support for the development of the state Paragraph 16(f) of the electoral guidelines for primary elections is very clear in stating that 'only aspirants whose appeal of the gubernatorial screening appeal panel was upheld shall be qualified to participate in the primary election'. In this light, Timipre Sylva is not qualified to contest as the appeal panel has not cleared him. This is the position as at today and until the NWC of the PDP clears Chief Sylva.'No longer should any candidate, be it a governor, senator, House of Representative member or local government chairman, be selected to run by any godfather, clique or pressure group. Pressurising him to do otherwise would amount to subverting the same ethos that have been the guiding principle of his administration. The Bayelsa case is not unique. There are precedence of underperforming PDP governors being denied a second tenure; the case of Governor Mbadinuju of Anambra State easily comes to mind.'Some of the elders at that briefing include Chief Nyanayo Tubo; Mr. Foster Ogola, Secretary of the Elders group, Chief Charles Dorgu; Chief Walter Feghabor; Sen. John Kojo Brambaifa; Hon. (Mrs) Marie Ebikake; Mr. Martins Agbede; Chief Itiedu Alfred; Mr. Blessing Izagara; Chief Ikiogha D.B.; Chief Iboro Ige-Edaba; Engr.Forcados Adolphus; Dr. Stella Dorgu; Prof. T.T Isoun and Chief Becky Ketebu-Igwe.It was confirmed that the outcome of the 19 November primary could not have been otherwise with the array of forces against Sylva's interest.The courts versus the PDPGovernor Timipre Sylva has headed for the courts to save what he called his ticket. The media has also come into the fray with some conflicting reports. Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court, Abuja, who was reported to have granted an injunction against the conduct of the 19 November primary, said, on Tuesday, that the media misrepresented the outcome of the courts. The clarifications came to the effect that the parties to the case were asked to be put on notice, rather than the ex-parte injunction reported in many newspaper outfits last week. The PDP had insisted that it was going ahead with the primary because there was no order of the court stopping it. Now, the governor and the PDP are placing their hopes in the hands of the courts.As it is often said, the courts remain the last arbiter and the hope of the oppressed, but in the instant case, whether the courts will vindicate the PDP or Sylva is a matter that will be resolved in the course of time.
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