The battle between Bayelsa State governor, Timipre Sylva and his deputy, Peremobowei Ebebi, over the outcome of the recent Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries for local government elections in Bayelsa State may have shifted to Abuja, as they are both in the nation’s capital.
The result of controversy
The state vice chairman of the party, Darius Obiene, had on Monday announced the result of the primaries held at the weekend. The result, which lists mostly pro-Sylva aspirants as winners, has been sent to the national secretariat of the PDP in Abuja.
A source in the office of the deputy governor, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said Mr. Ebebi, upon learning that Mr. Obiene had announced the results, quickly left for Abuja “to press the right buttons.”
Mr. Ebebi, the source said, would ensure that the embattled factional state chairman of the party, Rufus Abadi, endorsed the ‘original’ result of the Saturday primaries, which would be submitted to the National Executive Council of the party in Abuja.
It was also gathered that Messrs Sylva and Ebebi, while in Abuja, would seek audience with Vice President Goodluck Jonathan and other national officials of the party over the development in Bayelsa PDP.
However, a member of the House of Representatives, Seriake Dickson, representing Sagbama/Ekeremor federal constituency of the state, said the state needed prayers for God to rescue it from the grip of the governor and his deputy.
Mr. Dickson, who spoke on the telephone with our correspondent on Tuesday, said “only God can save the state from the evil actions being perpetrated in the state”, adding that the deliberate refusal of the party’s national leadership to intervene in the rivalry between the duo was not helping matters.
“The crisis between the governor and the deputy is condemnable. It was a shameful act and they should not put the state in a state of crisis and allow the people to suffer,” he said. “The party has failed because it has been divided in the last two years since the governor assumed office and nobody is doing anything about it. It shows the level of rot in the party. We pray that God should save Bayelsa State.”
Return of calm
A lecturer at the state-owned Niger Delta University (NDU), Amassoma, Pius Waritimi, said the PDP politicians have failed the people with their open display of greed and a deviation from the rule of law and good governance.
“If the governance of the state is people-oriented, there would not have been bitterness and rancour,” said Mr. Waritimi, who also expressed dismay over the backwardness of the state. “This is an unfortunate development, especially with the general election and the local council election approaching. Why should local council primaries bring rancor between the governor and his deputy? The people will hold the ruling party responsible at the next poll.”
Relative calm had returned to the state after the brawl between the supporters of Mr. Sylva and Ebebi in the wake of the outcome of the PDP primaries, which were marred by violence in the local government areas.