TRACKING >Ahead of the governorship primary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa State, leaders of the party admitted that there are conflicts that need to be resolved to move the party forward.
At the last count, there are 20 aspirants from the three senatorial zones and different power blocs in the party gunning for the ticket in the primary election slated for September 3.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan stated that the problems confronting the party were internal conflicts.
Jonathan, who stated this during the inauguration of the PDP Elders Advisory Council at the Government House, Yenagoa, expressed optimism that the elders council would play a key role in resolving all conflicts and contending issues to move the party forward.
The former president, who is visiting the Government House for the first time since its commissioning in 2017, commended Dickson for his developmental strides, including the building of the new Government House.
“Let me use this opportunity to appreciate the governor for this office. I am saying this because this is the first time I am entering the office and luckily, all of us here are part of this story from 1996 and then, of course, as politicians when we took over in May 1999.
“I knew we started by using a bungalow, the party secretariat as the Government House office and the governor started from living in a bungalow, the deputy also in a bungalow; that was how it started and now the state has taken shape.
“We are now in a standard office; the governor is also residing in a standard house so Bayelsa State is progressing. I thank the governor very sincerely. I always say that if you have the opportunity to be a head somewhere, president or governor, chairman of council or any other position, you should be able to add value to the environment.”
Dickson pleaded with governorship aspirants not to attack one another but focus on the subversive role of the opposition in the state.
While boasting that the PDP would retain the state, he called for stronger cohesion within the party and advised members and aspirants to avoid pursuing their ambitions at the expense of the party.
“The ambitions are legitimate but we must note that what is important is our unity and cohesion within the party. The state chapter of the party is at a critical point where elders and members must come together to ensure victory and successful transition of power from one PDP government to the other.”
The council is headed by Air Vice Marshall Larry Koinyan (retd) while the Chief of Staff, Government House, Talford Ongolo, is the acting secretary.
Other members include all Bayelsa members of the National Assembly from the PDP, former federal and state lawmakers, former chairmen of the party in the state, former lawmakers, and Chief Ndutimi.
