•As Governor shuns First Lady
The visit of First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan to Bayelsa State on Friday was witnessed by all federal lawmakers from the state but conspicuously missing was the state governor, Seriake Dickson, a pointer that reflects the deepening crisis of confidence between both leaders.
Led by Senators Emmanuel Paulker (Bayelsa Central), others lawmakers that attended Mrs. Jonathan’s distribution of empowerment items in Yenegoa include Senators Clever Ikisikpo (East) and Heineken Lokpobiri (West), all the members of the House of Representatives from the state as well as majority of the state Assembly lawmakers.
The First Lady, who was apparently elated at the solidarity shown her by the lawmakers, informed the crowd that the senators held a meeting with the President at the eve of the event.She said shortly after the meeting, the senators promised they would attend the programme on a chartered flight. She thanked them for making good their promise.
A source who pleaded for anonymity said the absence of the governor at the occasion was an indication of a widening crack between the Presidency and Dickson.
The source recalled that President Jonathan refused to attend the Bayelsa State Thanksgiving Day which was held recently at the Cultural Centre, Yenagoa.
“Jonathan was in the state but instead of identifying with the event, he chose to go back to Abuja after giving some excuses.
“Jonathan has been going to other states including Akwa Ibom State to commission projects by the governor but has refused entreaties from the Governor Dickson to visit Bayelsa and inaugurate some of his projects. All is not well.
“The governor was not present at Dame Patience event but all the senators and members of the House of Representatives were there.
“They are passing a strong message to Dickson. None of them attended the Bayelsa Thanksgiving Day but they were with madam. The battle has just started”, he said.
Meanwhile, the First Lady’s event created gridlock in Yenagoa. Motorists and commuters who lamented the development were seen stranded along the Yenagoa- Mbiama Road.
Some roads were closed to traffic in a city with dearth of access roads by security operatives who stormed strategic areas to provide security for the First Lady.
“What is she even doing here? She is not known to be visiting Bayelsa”, a resident who identified himself as David Toughman queried.
When told that Mrs. Jonathan was in the state to distribute empowerment items to different, Toughman laughed and described it as a political gimmick.
“Since she occupied Aso Rock, how many times has she come to distribute empowerment materials to people? She is doing this few months to the election just to remain in power. We can no longer be deceived.”
The political crisis in Bayelsa State has deepened with the federal lawmakers forming a formidable force to upturn moves by Dickson and his camp to deny them re-elections in 2015 by zoning their offices beyond their reach.
The angry lawmakers were said to have aligned with the moves by Patience to replace Dickson with her loyalist in 2016.
It was gathered that some of the senators held separate meetings with President Jonathan and his wife, Patience, to fine-tune strategies of outsmarting the governor to clinch their party tickets for 2015 elections.
Dickson has been in a running battle with the lawmakers following their ambitions to return to the National Assembly for second and third terms.
Source: National Mirror
The visit of First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan to Bayelsa State on Friday was witnessed by all federal lawmakers from the state but conspicuously missing was the state governor, Seriake Dickson, a pointer that reflects the deepening crisis of confidence between both leaders.
Led by Senators Emmanuel Paulker (Bayelsa Central), others lawmakers that attended Mrs. Jonathan’s distribution of empowerment items in Yenegoa include Senators Clever Ikisikpo (East) and Heineken Lokpobiri (West), all the members of the House of Representatives from the state as well as majority of the state Assembly lawmakers.
The First Lady, who was apparently elated at the solidarity shown her by the lawmakers, informed the crowd that the senators held a meeting with the President at the eve of the event.She said shortly after the meeting, the senators promised they would attend the programme on a chartered flight. She thanked them for making good their promise.
A source who pleaded for anonymity said the absence of the governor at the occasion was an indication of a widening crack between the Presidency and Dickson.
The source recalled that President Jonathan refused to attend the Bayelsa State Thanksgiving Day which was held recently at the Cultural Centre, Yenagoa.
“Jonathan was in the state but instead of identifying with the event, he chose to go back to Abuja after giving some excuses.
“Jonathan has been going to other states including Akwa Ibom State to commission projects by the governor but has refused entreaties from the Governor Dickson to visit Bayelsa and inaugurate some of his projects. All is not well.
“The governor was not present at Dame Patience event but all the senators and members of the House of Representatives were there.
“They are passing a strong message to Dickson. None of them attended the Bayelsa Thanksgiving Day but they were with madam. The battle has just started”, he said.
Meanwhile, the First Lady’s event created gridlock in Yenagoa. Motorists and commuters who lamented the development were seen stranded along the Yenagoa- Mbiama Road.
Some roads were closed to traffic in a city with dearth of access roads by security operatives who stormed strategic areas to provide security for the First Lady.
“What is she even doing here? She is not known to be visiting Bayelsa”, a resident who identified himself as David Toughman queried.
When told that Mrs. Jonathan was in the state to distribute empowerment items to different, Toughman laughed and described it as a political gimmick.
“Since she occupied Aso Rock, how many times has she come to distribute empowerment materials to people? She is doing this few months to the election just to remain in power. We can no longer be deceived.”
The political crisis in Bayelsa State has deepened with the federal lawmakers forming a formidable force to upturn moves by Dickson and his camp to deny them re-elections in 2015 by zoning their offices beyond their reach.
The angry lawmakers were said to have aligned with the moves by Patience to replace Dickson with her loyalist in 2016.
It was gathered that some of the senators held separate meetings with President Jonathan and his wife, Patience, to fine-tune strategies of outsmarting the governor to clinch their party tickets for 2015 elections.
Dickson has been in a running battle with the lawmakers following their ambitions to return to the National Assembly for second and third terms.
Source: National Mirror
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