Bayelsa Guber Polls: Diri Exploits APC’s Cracks, Woos Jonathan’s Zone

Ahead of the Bayelsa State Governorship election next month, the incumbent governor and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Douye Diri has started a deal with some key All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

It was learnt that the governor who has been making irresistible offers to get the endorsement of the APC chieftains, have also made offers to the Bayelsa East senatorial where former President Goodluck Jonathan hails from.

A PDP source told our correspondent that the governor’s strategy was driven by concerns over the seeming aloofness of his predecessor, Senator Seriake Dickson, who has stayed away from any involvement in Diri’s administration.

Although over 10 political parties have candidates for the November poll, the battle is majorly between Governor Diri and the APC candidate, Chief Timpreye Sylva, who is the immediate past minister of State for Petroleum and former governor of the state.

However, the source disclosed that Diri has offered juicy deals to two APC leaders who had fallen out with Sylva and have distanced themselves from the campaigns of their party candidate.

It was learnt that the aggrieved APC chieftains are a minister of state and a former governorship candidate.

Reconciliation efforts by the APC national chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje, and other top leaders have failed to yield results.

However, the source said Diri, latching onto the split within the APC ranks, has given concessions to the aggrieved opposition members in the state ahead of the poll.

It was learnt some of the concessions include to hand as governor to the two APC leaders.

It was also learnt that the governor promised to “ensure they have influence in his second term government and conceded 50 slots of Senior Special Assistants (SSAs) each to the APC chieftains.”

The PDP chieftain in the state further noted that the governor’s decided realignment would help his cushion the effect of the “aloofness of his predecessor, Senator Seriake Dickson, who has distanced himself from the Diri administration.”

The former governor and his camp feel alienated by Diri, and just like in APC, efforts by the PDP national leadership to broker truce has not succeeded.

However, Diri has also extended his succession offer to other big wigs in his party, especially in the Bayelsa East district of the state where former President Goodluck Jonathan hails from.

It was learnt the governor promised to hand over power to some lawmakers and former commissioners from the district in exchange for their support in the forthcoming election.

“The three of them, Diri has made succession promises to are all of Goodluck Jonathan’s stock in Ogbia. This succession promise for Ogbia guys was a plot to secure Dr. Jonathan blessing and support in the November poll,” the source said.