The Senator representing Bayelsa West Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, on Tuesday played the host to chiefs, elders, political appointees and PDP Caucus members from Gov Douye Diri’s Kolokuma/Okpokuma, Local Government Area.
Diri’s kinsmen visited the former Governor at his Toru Orua, Sagbama Local Government Area country home to formally thank him for the role he played in the emergence of Diri as the first Governor of Bayelsa State from the area.
In his remarks, Senator Dickson urged his guests to give sustained support to his successor, Diri, to ensure his success in the onerous task of governing the state.
He recalled that the PDP under his leadership went through a tough battle in pursuit of fairness and inclusiveness by working for the emergence of Diri and Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, as Governor and Deputy Governor respectively.
He recalled that it was indeed a tough decision to opt for a gubernatorial candidate from the hoard of qualified, loyal members of the PDP in the Bayelsa State at the time.
He explained that he decided to throw the support of his political family, the Restoration Group, behind Diri as a direct and deliberate response to the question of equity and fairness in the state which favored Diri and his Kolokuma/Okpokuma local government area.
He stressed that the emergence of Diri and Ewhrudjakpo from the minority Ofoni was a bold statement in the politics of Bayelsa that anybody from any community can become Governor and Deputy Governor with the right political platform and network.
Senator Dickson said, that while it would have been easier to back a candidate from a zone with numerical advantage, it would have left a deep moral scar on his conscience.
Dickson who urged the people to support, pray and provide quality advice for Diri noted that if he fails, they too would be seen to have failed. He insisted that the people have a collective responsibility to make sure Diri succeeds in the interest of all.
Speaking earlier, a member of the delegation and prominent Ijaw activist, Elder T. K. Ogoriba, a member of the delegation said that without Senator Dickson’s input, a KOLGA man would not have been the governor of Bayelsa State now.
Elder Ogoriba said KOLGA, the smallest Local Government Area in Bayelsa State would not have been able to produce the governor without the support and doggedness of the former governor.
He said it was in recognition of the indelible efforts of Senator Dickson in making a KOLGA man Governor, that they were in Toru Orua to show gratitude to him.
Elder Ogoriba said that with Dickson’s support, Diri would have his second term him office to make it possible for him to be the second person to govern the state for eight years after the jinx broken by Senator Dickson.
THE NEWORK
