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Bayelsa: Jonathan, Alaibe in Battle Royale
The ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa State is embroiled in fresh crisis over the 2007 governorship race, leading to the suspension of its state chairman
By Lawson Heyford, Yenagoa
Governor Goodluck Jonathan
of Bayelsa State
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Like a volcano, a deepening crisis has erupted in the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa State. And if the current in-fighting within the group continues unabated, then the fear of concerned party members and other faithfuls, of a doomed fate in the 2007 elections in the state may just be real, no thanks to the outcome of the State PDP Congress held in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital last October. At that Congress, which took place on the heels of the political imbroglio in the state that led to the removal of Governor Diepriye Alamieyeseigha from office last December, it was a clear battle between the various persons seeking to fly the party’s flag in next year’s gubernatorial election in the state. Of the 68-member State Executive Committee, Timi Alaibe, a governorship aspirant and Executive Direction, Finance and Administration of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has the majority of them, including the State Chairman, Chief Fred Agbedi, the State Woman Leader, Mrs. Helen Inafa-Bob and the eight local government party chairmen in his camp. Dr Goodluck, Jonathan, the state governor who is under intense pressure to run for the 2007 governorship race in the state has control of a few executive members including the State Secretary, Dr. Tariba Tebepah and the Publicity Secretary while O.A Iteidu-Timipiri Sylva, the Senior Special Assistant to the Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Edmund Dakoru – a new entrant into the governorship race – parade some officers including the State Deputy Chairman, Chief Darus Obiene.
Since December 12, 2005,when the Jonathan administration came into office at Creek Heaven (Government House), Yenagoa, the rapport between the leadership of the State PDP and the state government has been anything, but cordial. This was in fact made worse by the absence of Agbedi and his PDP state party leadership at the formal swearing-in of Jonathan, the former Deputy Governor as the new State chief executive. Unconfirmed reports available to The Source revealed that Agbedi had turned down all overtures made to him by the state government to get the PDP boss either on the part of the administration, or at least remain neutral in the unfolding battle for the Creek Heaven, come May 29, 2007. The Source learnt that the PDP boss rejected an offer of N1.2 billion contract from the state government, although Agbedi would neither deny nor confirm this when confronted with the allegation. But matters came to a head when penultimate week, precisely on July 9, 2006, when Agbedi attended a rally held at Opokuma in the Kolokuma/Opokuma, LGA, Alaibe’s country home to drum up support for his gubernatorial ambition. He was said to have at the occasion presented the party’s flag to the NDDC top executive, officially declaring him the party’s candidate for the governorship election in the state next year. The Deputy National Organising Secretary, Blesson Akpuloma and the State Woman Leader, Mrs. Infa-Bob, corroborated Agbedi’s call on Alaibe to join the governorship race in the state. The trio and the party’s chairmen in the State’s original eight local government areas were also in agreement, as each of the speakers there reportedly lampooned Jonathan’s administration for lack of vision, corruption and ineptitude. Soon after the event was aired on a special African Independent Television (AIT) programme, tongues started wagging, with politicians across party lines holding divergent views as to the legality or otherwise of the action of the state PDP chieftains. Thus, three days after the rally, the party’s State Working Committee (SWC), met and suspended Agbedi and Mrs Infa-Bob as chairman and women leader respectively for 30 days. The SWC also recommended to the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), that disciplinary action be taken against Akpuluma, the National Organising Secretary of the party, in order to serve as a deterrent to other state and national officers of the party. The SWC in an eight-point resolution signed by Obiene, the Deputy State Chairman and Tebepah, the State Secretary, explained that the action was to maintain the neutrality of the party’s leadership in the emerging political activities in the state and to regain the confidence of the party leaders, members and faithfuls. Besides, the SWC said it drew its powers from the party’s constitution as contained in Article 16(b) 1(b). While the SWC sees the governorship race as an open contest for all qualified PDP members, it viewed the action and utterances of the leaders as capable of causing disaffection, rancour and disharmony in the party as against the neutral, unbiased and fair dispositions they are supposed to display to all interest groups and individuals.
But there was to be a twist in the political melodrama when Obiene, the State Deputy Chairman denied being at the meeting where the decision to suspend the duo was taken and so disowned his signature on the document. A few days later, Obiene retraced his steps, saying that he made the denial under duress. And to justify this, the deputy chairman last Tuesday inaugurated a seven-member disciplinary committee headed by Chief Diekivie Okulorie Obohoo, to look into the allegations against the two suspended officers of the party. The disciplinary committee was set up at an emergency State Executive Committee meeting of the PDP held in Yenagoa penultimate Friday, July 5 amid tight security. The emergency session was attended by the State Deputy Governor. Peremobowei Ebebi, the Speaker of the State Legislature, Seibarugu Werinipre, his Deputy, Bright Erewari, the Chief Whip, Robert Enogha, Local Government Council Chairmen, their deputies and other party stalwarts. The committee has 14 days, expiring July 31, 2006 within which to submit its report to the party’s State Executive Committee (SEC)– which also ratified and affirmed the decision of the state working committee concerning the suspension of the duo.
Iteidu, the State Publicity Secretary of the PDP said the sec meeting of July 14, 2006, was the first of such meeting since the body was inaugurated last November, to examine political developments in the state, especially as they affect the cohesiveness and integrity of the party. He called for support for the sec towards ensuring the provision of a level playing field for all aspirants to various political offices in the 2007 elections.
Different groups have also risen in condemnation of Agbedi and others for “selling the PDP in Bayelsa” to an individual for whatever reasons. Leaders of thought and pdp members in Ekeremor LGA dismissed Agbedi’s action as not only illegal and unconstitutional but a betrayal of the confidence reposed in them as principal officers of the party.
Earlier, Agbedi had announced the cancellation of the said July 14, 2006 sec meeting of the party and refuted their “purported suspension from their offices”. This new twist was immediately welcomed by yet another faction of the SEC, comprising 25 state and local government party functionaries which endorsed Agbedi’s cancellation order on the holding of the sec on July 14, this year. But just in case the said sec meeting still held against the directives of Agbedi, the SEC faction said “any resolution taken in the guise of a meeting of the State Executive Committee outside the directive of the State Chairman of the party is illegal, null and void.” But following the decision of the sec meeting in spite of Agbedi’s attempt to thwart it, the forum of Local Government Councils in the state said the disciplinary action meted out on the two principal officers of the PDP in the state was a welcome development. Consisting of chairmen of eight old LGAs, the 24 new councils and the seven Rural Development Authorities in the state, the Forum rose from a meeting and condemn the “unwholesome divisive actions” of Agbedi and the eight LGA party chairmen, for identifying with and openly supporting a governorship aspirant even before the conduct of the party’s primaries. It accused Agbedi of employing politics of exclusion to witchhunt opponents of his choice aspirant.
Similarly, a group of youths under the aegis of Collective Youths for Good Governance in Bayelsa State, called for the dissolution of the entire party executive councils at both the state, local government and ward levels. Victor Eyororokumo, the leader of the group led the youths on a protest march to Government House, Yenagoa, to lend support for the sanction placed on both Agbedi and Infa-Bob for “flouting the party’s directive”. The stance of the hundreds of protesting youths was an affirmation of several calls by Governor Jonathan and other aggrieved PDP members who feel that the hierarchy of the party at the ward, LGS and state, have been hijacked by Alaibe. At the recent national reconciliation committee meeting of the party in Yenagoa, Jonathan said the composition of the party’s machinery at the three levels was most unfair and unjust, to the extent that he did not even know his ward and local government party leaders.
In the same vein, Alaibe accused the governor of being selfish to the extent that he was not allowed the opportunity to make an input as to who would be made a commissioner from his own Kolokuma/Opokuma LGA. Discussions at the reconciliation parley was almost becoming rowdy and violent as supporters and loyalists of both Jonathan and Aliabe exchanged hot words, warranting an abrupt end of the meeting.
Within the past eight months of the Agbedi-led state party executive, it was obvious that things have really fallen apart in the party. Agbedi agreed to this when he described the present happening in the party in Bayelsa as the “normal power play” which resolution, he said lies only within the purview of the National Executive Committee (NEC) and not the SEC to suspend him. Last Tuesday night, the National Working Committe (NWC) of PDP ratified the decision of SEC suspending the State Party Chairman for one month, pending the outcome of the investigation panel probing the allegation against him. The NWC also suspended Blessing Akpoloma, the Deputy National Organising Secretary for one month, but was silent on the case of Inafa-Bob, the Woman Leader.
John Odey, PDP’s National Publicity Secretary who announced the NWC’s decision said the two officers have been referred to its National Disciplinary Committee which is expected to “recommend any action if necessary to the NWC for implementation”.
Considering the evidence against Agbedi and his lieutenants and going by the PDP constitution, it might just be a miracle for the suspended officers to escape from the trap which had been set for them by aggrieved PDP members. Agbedi played the good sportsman when he quickly accepted NEC’s decision and expressed happiness that the development offered the chance for the various groups to amicably resolve their differences and get the party back on stage. This statement, political pundits believe, suggest an admission of guilt and therefore a peace process within the party in the state. |
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