By Samuel Oyadongha
The Peoples Democratic Party PDP has been the dominant party in Bayelsa State since the return of civil rule in 1999. That dominance got to its peak after the election of its most famous son, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan as president. Now, the loss of the president in the last presidential election is leading to new permutations in the riverine state.
It was believed that the defunct All Progressives Party, APP, would have clinched the 1999 governorship election in the state if it had taken place as those in other parts of the country, given the overwhelming support it then enjoyed.
But given the victory of the PDP in the earlier elections in other parts of the country, it was not surprising that the pendulum, swung the way of the party. The people of the young state were apparently not prepared to start democratic life on the side of the opposition.
This, however, may change in the wake of the defeat of the PDP at the centre and with the outgoing President, Goodluck Jonathan an indigene of the state who as leader of the party has wielded enormous influence in the affairs of the state.
He was instrumental to the shutting out of former Governor Timipre Sylva from the PDP primary that threw up Seriake Dickson. Speculations were also rife in town that had Jonathan won, Dickson would have been given the Sylva treatment on account of the alleged frosty relationship between him and Dame Patience Jonathan, wife of the President.
The seeming face-off between the First Lady and the governor, was allegedly responsible for the former quitting her position as a Permanent Secretary in the state civil service even though she was not assigned any ministry.
Also, the outgoing President is bound to lose the privilege of being the sole ‘godfather’ of Bayelsa politics, a position he currently enjoys.
President Goodluck Jonathan (L), being received by the Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson
The defeat of the incumbent president is a big blow to many especially to the people of the Niger Delta many of whom had thought Jonathan’s second coming would bring massive infrastructural development to the blighted region as well as those waiting to exploit their closeness to the former to profit from the state governorship race billed for November.
What observers posit as the major fallout of Jonathan’s defeat is that the political space will be thrown open for all to test their popularity.
Given the APC tsunami at the recent general elections which led to the ouster of the PDP in its once dominant strongholds, many are confident that the power of incumbency has been demystified and that the opposition parties are ready to bite.
The situation in Bayelsa is even made more intriguing given the surging popularity of the APC and the concomitant disarray in the PDP.
Meanwhile, some politicians in the state, especially those whose political careers have been in limbo are now back to the trenches, strategizing on their next move.
Political sagacity
But that is not to say that the Jonathans will be wholly ruled out of relevance, not with the political sagacity of Mrs. Jonathan whose political empire may have been now reduced to Baylelsa and her native state, Rivers State.
The 2016 governorship polls will open more variables and intrigues, and will be keenly contested.
The people through their votes will determine who their next governor will be rather than the anointments that have characterised past elections since 2003.
Indications of a keen contest was shown in the recent House of Assembly election in the state when the opposition APC made inroads into the once stronghold of the PDP when it picked two seats in the 24 member House including the unexpected defeat of the incumbent Deputy Speaker.
It could even have been worse for the ruling party, but PDP toughies faced with the embarrassment of losing much ground to the APC in the party’s home state were called in to straighten things up.
In Brass Constituency, the base of former Governor Timipire Sylva, the state APC leader, they were, however, matched by Sylva’s own toughies who resisted the PDP guys.
With the PDP toughies losing the cover under which they have long operated, the scenario in the next few months when the governorship election comes up would be a much more difficult one for many PDP enforcers, including even for Mama Peace, the state’s most famous daughter-in-law.
BAYELSA’S LEADING POLITICAL ACTORS
•Dr. Goodluck Jonathan
•Gov Serikae Dickson
•Mrs. Patience Jonathan
•Mr. Timipire Sylva
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