Eyororokuoh served as Special Adviser in the immediate past administration of Governor Seriake Dickson on Inter Party Relations. In this interview with PAULINE ONYIBE, he speaks on the Bayelsa West Senatorial District by-election and Dickson’s chances in the poll
Your former boss, ex-Governor Seriake Dickson is aspiring to go to the Senate. What are his chances of winning the election?
First and foremost, I will say that having served under his Seriake Dickson as a Special Adviser on Inter Party Relations; I had a very robust working relationship with him. I also have an in-depth knowledge also of the man called Dickson. So, when you talk about Dickson’s chances going to the Senate, for me, I will say he has 90 per cent chance of going to the Senate because I don’t I see anybody in Bayelsa West Senatorial District contesting that seat with him owing to the fact that as a former governor, he has done well for the state and the senatorial district in particular. I’m from Ekeremor Local Government Area. Courtesy of Dickson’s administration, I now drive to my village in Ekeremor town. The road project was one that has been in the pipeline for over years. It was a project that we felt was not achievable but he made it a reality and we all can attest to it.
If you look at the other parties, and those in the other parties that are likely to contest the election, well contest is free for everybody but in our senatorial district, we have resolved in the state from the ward level to the traditional rulers both in Ekeremor and Sagbama local governments to sustain and maintain the existing zoning formula in the senatorial district. What is binding us as a people is that principle of zoning. We have the House of Representatives seat in Ekeremor Local Government Area today as we speak.
Sagbama had the Senate and by providence, the senator representing Bayelsa West became the deputy governor of Bayelsa State. So, it still behooves on Sagbama to fill the vacuum and complete their tenure. Are you saying that Dickson will not have challengers from other opposition parties? I don’t care who contests against him. I don’t care whether it is my father that is contesting against Dickson. He has the right to contest against Dickson. My biological brother has the right as a bonafide citizen of Bayelsa West to contest election, but that is not to say that he is going to win the election. The good people of Bayelsa West Senatorial District have resolved on who the want. Dickson never wanted, we called on him to come out to contest and represent us.
The former governor said he was going to retiree to his farm after his tenure, why the detour?
He is a lawyer and he has done well in his profession. As a person, if he wants to retire back to his law practice that does not restrain him playing politics. There is no lawyer in this country that doesn’t play politics. So, Dickson is not an exception. He has a law office and he has a chamber and wants to practice. That does not stop him from contesting elections. We are the ones that urged him to contest for the senatorial seat. Yes, he said he wants to retire to his farm; he said he wants to go into poultry and fishery but the people of West Senatorial District said ‘no, we want you to go and complete the assignment for us.’ If the people called him, he has a right to say yes or no. What we know is that the man has the qualities to represent the people Bayelsa West Senatorial District and we are going to deliver him whenever the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) conducts the by-election.
Who and who resolved that Dickson should represent the people of Bayelsa West Senatorial District?
We have 26 wards in Bayelsa West Senatorial District and all the wards have endorsed and called on him to contest. All the traditional rulers in the two local governments have resolved to maintain the zoning formula and have endorsed him to be their candidate.
Are you also aware that some persons are calling on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the dealings of the former governor?
Is there anybody that they have not investigated? Let them come and do their work. The EFCC was established by law to investigate and recover looted funds and properties. Let them go and do their work. That has nothing to do with us.
We also know that organisations like the Ijaw National Congress (INC) have endorsed Dickson. How will that impact on his chances?
The INC did that because Dickson is a pan Ijaw leader; he is a voice to reckon with in Ijaw nation. Most times, we don’t appreciate people when they are in office. I have been in this state from the Caleb Olubolade era till date and I am in a better position to tell you how our people behave. When you are in office, nobody appreciates you, but when you leave office, they will be dancing around the next person who comes in. After some few months or years, you will become the king again.
How do you reconcile this because Dickson was mentioned as part of those who made INC to be in comatose today?
If Dickson is being fingered in INC crisis, how would the same INC call on him to contest the Bayelsa West election? If Dickson has not done well for Ijaw nation, the INC will not be the same people to call on him to contest the election, so it means that he has no problems with INC. He did his best for the state and we are satisfied with his activities and we want him to represent us in the Red Chamber.
During your time as Special Adviser on Inter-Party Relations, what was the relationship between the Peoples Democratic Party and other parties in the state?
What I can say is that during my reign as the Special Adviser to the former governor on Inter-Party Relations is that represented the government well and I can add that there was a harmonious relationship with the government and all the other parties.
The present administration in the state has just marked it first hundred days in office. So far, how would you access the government of Douye Diri?
If I am to be a governor or a president of this country today, I won’t even talk about 100 days in office. What can you do in 100 days? Are you done with formulation of the policy framework talk more of policy implementations? Have you even looked into the books to see your budgetary allocation and other areas for you to balance up? Hundred days is just like one day in office. But to answer your question, I will say that the governor has done well within this period. In terms of payment of gratuities and meeting up with salary obligations, he has done well. You can see demolitions going on now to ensure that we have a face lift in the state, however, the COVID 19 and the interstate transportation ban means that if you want to carry out construction works, no contractor can come into the state. Until this pandemic is over, there is nothing anybody can do about it. The policy framework will wait for when the atmosphere is conducive enough for the government to operate.
