Jonathan vows not to interfere with Bayelsa administration

Posted by admin Bayelsa, State News Saturday, March 17th, 2012

President Goodluck Jonathan on Saturday said he would not interfere with the administration of Bayelsa State and promised to allow Governor Seriake Dickson and his team use their initiatives in running the affairs of the state.

The President spoke at the state congress of the Peoples Democratic Party which was held at the Peace Park, Yenagoa.

Our correspondent observed that there was no contest in the 29 positions in the party’s state executive council as the vacancies were already filled by persons who were handpicked by chieftains of the party after consultations.

Although most of the delegates did not turn up for the exercise, others who came were merely asked by the five-man State Congress Committee led by Mr. Ini Okorie, to cast their votes in affirmation of the selected candidates.

Only three members of the National Assembly participated in the exercise. Others, including the former acting Governor, Mr. Nestor Binabo, stayed away.

The president who arrived the venue of the exercise with his entourage at about 10:45am was the first to participate in the exercise which was a mere formality.

Our correspondent gathered that many meetings were held before the congress to resolve the rancour that arose from the selection of the members of its state committee.

At the centre of the dispute was the position of the state chairman of the party which was hitherto occupied by Mr. James Dugo.

It was learnt that Dugo had hoped and lobbied to retain the position, especially after the party had allegedly used him to fight the former Governor of the state, Mr. Timipre Sylva, and to ensure the emergence of Dickson as the governor of the state.

But his hope was dashed at the eve of the congress following the intervention of some party chieftains, including Jonathan, who were said to have advised him to step down.

He was said to have been disqualified because of his age as the party used an elderly person, Colonel Sam Inokoba (retd), to replace him.

Dugo in his welcome address at the event, however, said there was no ill-feeling, noting that he had heeded the advice of fathers of the party including Jonathan.

The event held without protest and violence as members of the party seemed satisfied over the methods adopted by their leaders.

At the event, Jonathan said he would not intervene in running the state government and urged the party to cooperate with Dickson and his team in managing the affairs of the state.

He said, “On my own part as it has always been my character, I am not going to interfere with the state administration. It is in the hands of the governor, his team and the party at the state level. I have enormous responsibility to manage the country in Abuja. Why should I begin to think about the affairs of Bayelsa? It is unfortunate some of you are my personal friends and you may want one thing or the other from the government, I will play a very minimal role in that respect.

“The governor has to govern the state. We have to encourage him to govern the state and we will give him any assistance from Abuja to run and make sure that he transforms Bayelsa State based on the dreams of our founding fathers.”

-Punchwp_posts