Bayelsa PDP primaries: 12 lawmakers lose tickets

No fewer than 12 members of the Bayelsa State Assembly have lost the tickets of the Peoples Democratic Party to contest the 2015 Assembly elections at the party’s primaries held on Saturday and Sunday.

Two local governments  – Nembe and Kolokuma/Opokuma could not hold theirs on Saturday due to eruption of crisis resulting in the postponement to Sunday.

Expectedly, the primaries conducted at Samson Siasia Stadium, Ovom and Ijaw House, were held under heavy presence of security men.

Two trucks, one armoured personnel carrier, over 20 patrol vans, which conveyed security operatives to Ijaw House were seen.

Principal officers of the State House of Assembly have emerged winners at the primary election.

They include the Speaker, Konbowei Benson (Southern Ijaw 4), deputy speaker, Victor Sam-Ateki (Brass 1) and Leader of the House, Peter Akpe (Sagbama 1).

Others who also won in Southern Ijaw include Kate Owoko (constituency 1) and two serving lawmakers, Monday Obolo-Bubou(constituency 2) and Daniel Igali (constituency 3).

At Brass, immediate past chairman of the local government council, Andy Obed clinched the ticket for Brass 2 while Lammy Ingobere got that of Brass 3.

In Sagbama, Governor Seriake Dickson’s former Special Adviser on Security Matters, Bernard Kenebai  won in constituency  2, while his former Commissioner for Education, Salo Adikumo, got the party’s ticket in constituency 3.

In Yenagoa, former Commissioner for Science, Technology and Manpower Development, Parkinson Macmanuel won in Yenagoa 1, former state chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ebiowou Koku-Obiyai emerged for Yenagoa 2 and a serving lawmaker Gentle Emelah won in Yenagoa 3.

At Nembe, Ebi Ololo  was elected the party’s flag-bearer in Nembe constituency 1.

At Ogbia, another current lawmaker, Obedient Emoto won in Ogbia 2 while former Commissioner for Local Government Administration, Mitema Obordor won in Ogbia 1 and the party’s state Women Leader, Naomi Ogoli got that of Ogbia 3.

Governor Dickson and his deputy, John Jonah, participated in the primary election as super delegates in Sagbama constituency 1.

Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party has said the primaries could not hold in five constituencies of three local governments because of intelligence report on threat to security.

The Chairman of party’s Election Panel, Hamisu Abubakar, said the postponement was due to intelligence report on threat to security in the two constituencies of Kolokuma/Opokuma LGA.

Abubakar also confirmed that the primary election in Nembe 2 and 3 could not hold due to the activities marking the burial rites of the King Ralph Iwoware, Ammanayabo of Nembe Bassambiri.