Dickson delays naming of Diri’s running mate for Bayelsa poll

Governor Seriake Dickson may have suspended his alleged attempt to pick his former Commissioner for Works and the senator representing Bayelsa West, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpor, as running mate to Douye Diri, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the November 16, 2019, gubernatorial election in the state.

Reports are widespread about the governor having allegedly perfected the choice of Ewhrudjakpor, who hails from the same local council with him, for the position.

Apparently, due to pressure from the party faithful, Dickson has summoned a meeting of ‘critical stakeholders’ before the September 23 deadline for substitution of candidates to address the issue.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Fidelis Soriwei, the governor noted that the elders of the Bayelsa PDP, including him, former President Goodluck Jonathan and other leaders, would take a final decision on the matter.

Urging party members and supporters to remain calm and focused, Dickson said a decision would be taken after exhaustive consultations and deliberations with the critical stakeholders.

He cautioned against playing into the hands of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) “which carries the heavy burden of an unmarketable gubernatorial candidate.”

He claimed that the “APC which is not on ground in Bayelsa was only banking on violence and the federal might to kill innocent voters during the elections.”

The governor submitted that the controversy surrounding the naming of Diri’s running mate was normal in politics and should not be treated with any traces of peculiarity either with the ruling party in the state or his government’s style of administration.

He further alleged: “The APC ticket clearly shows desperation to hijack the government of the state and have it run by proxies.”