By Samuel Oyadongha
The plan to zone National Assembly positions among the varying components of federal and senatorial constituencies in Bayelsa is stretching nerves even among those who are agreed on a second term for Bayelsa’s most famous export, President Goodluck Jonathan.
Although political leaders in the existing eight local government areas of the state have unanimously endorsed President Jonathan and Governor Henry Seriake Dickson for the 2015 and 2016 elections.
But the plan of some stakeholders within the dominant Peoples Democratic Party PDP to zone the National Assembly seats in the state may plunge the party into another round of crisis.
Though the governor has been silent on the issue of zoning, the return bid of the federal lawmakers might be dashed if the pro -zoning party chieftains have their way.
The concerned federal lawmakers are nonetheless not relenting as they have commenced move to renew their mandate in 2015 with their supporters dismissing the alleged zoning as unfounded.
The federal lawmakers are Senators Emmanuel Paulker (Bayelsa Central), Heineken Lokpobiri (Bayelsa West) and Clever Ikisikpo (Bayelsa East). Those in the House of Representatives are Foingha Jephthah (Nembe/Brass), Henry Ofongo (Southern Ijaw), Warman Ogoriba (Yenegoa/Kolokuma-Opokuma), Dr Stella Dorgu (Sagbama/Ekeremor) and Nadu Karibo (Ogbia).
Indication that the incumbent federal lawmakers are in for a tough time emerged penultimate week when various political groups began subterranean moves to position themselves.
In zoning the Bayelsa Central Senatorial District seat to Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area, stakeholders of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area comprising mostly elected and serving political office holders recently resolved that it was the turn of KOLGA to produce the next senator for the area.
The Southern Ijaw Local Government Area (SILGA) stakeholders who included Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly had averred that SILGA had had her own turn in the person of Senator David Brigidi who served between 1999 to 2007, adding that Yenagoa Local Government Area (YELGA) is currently serving out its two terms in the person of Senator Emmanuel Paulker. The stakeholders insisted that KOLGA is yet to take a shot at the Senate and that it would amount to injustice if KOLGA is denied the slot.
The Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Mr. Friday Konbowei Benson and some top PDP stalwarts, in a statement on the State owned radio, “Glory FM” said they were not in support of the purported adoption of Chief Emmanuel Paulker, stressing that they were ready to throw their weight behind a senatorial candidate from KOLGA.
The move, it was however learnt, has the tacit support of the governor given the speculations that Paulker could challenge him in the 2016 governorship poll.
But a source close to the senator was not committal on the governorship contest, saying “my boss has not indicated any interest in the governorship seat but some politicians are bent on stopping his third term bid to the Senate and are peddling rumours so as to cause friction between him and Dickson.”
Senator Paulker aside being a close associate of the President is also a kinsman of the Petroleum Minister, Mrs Diezani Alison-Mudueke.
Going by the arrangement, the Kolokuma/Opokuma federal constituency ticket was zoned out of the reach of the current holder, Ogoriba, an indigene of Odi. The position, it was resolved should be occupied by an indigene of Epie/Attisa in Yenagoa local government in 2015.
Also in the East senatorial district, the political leaders led by a trusted political ally of President Jonathan, King Amalate Turner, with support from the state’s deputy governor, Rear Admiral John Jonah (rtd) recently met at Ogbia Brotherhood Hall in Ogbia and agreed to abide by the zoning arrangement in the area which technically knocks out Senator Ikisikpo, Hon Jephthah and Hon Karibo.
The Senate position rotates between Ogbia, Nembe, Brass which constitute the senatorial district.
The position currently occupied by Hon Foingha Jephtah an indigene of Nembe is expected to return to Brass in 2015 while the Ogbia federal constituency seat which is occupied by Karibo rotates between Kolo/Oloibiri and Ayama.
The incumbent, Karibo, is from Oloibiri axis, while the position is expected to return to Ayama in 2015 in line with the area zoning formula.
The situation is also tense in Southern Ijaw federal constituency where the incumbent, Ofongo may lose out in the power play. The Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Benson Kombowei, an ally of the state governor, is from the area and is allegedly eyeing the seat in 2015 having served two terms in the Assembly.
The development concerning Senator Paulker, it was learnt, has attracted the president who is said to have urged the governor and the senator to amicably settle the issue especially given the fact that both men are his confidants.
The situation is also tensed in Bayelsa West senatorial district where some political actors are said to be bent on stopping Senator Heineken Lokpobiri representing Bayelsa West Senatorial District from a third straight term and Dr Stella Dorgu representing Sagbama-Ekeremor Federal Constituency from a second term.
Dr. Stella Dorgu, replaced Seriake Dickson after his election as governor of the state in 2012.
Indications that some political leaders in the area are prepared to upstage the duo of Lokpobiri and Dorgu emerged during a rally held in Sagbama by the Bayelsa West Senatorial District to endorse Jonathan and Dickson for 2015 and 2016 to continue their good work.
The pioneer chairman of the PDP in the state, Engr Charles Dorgu had during the rally said the political leaders in the district had decided to zone the National Assembly seats in the interest of peace and harmony in the senatorial district.
The decision was said to have frayed nerves especially given the fact that the pair of
Lokpobiri and Dorgu were part of the financiers of the rally because of their support for Jonathan and Dickson.
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