The secretary to the Bayelsa state government, Kombowei Benson, and the chief of staff to the governor, Benson Agadaga, have resigned their appointments to join the race for the senatorial tickets of the party for Bayelsa Central and Bayelsa East senatorial district respectively.
Among the state commissioners that resigned were state commissioner for education, Gentle Emela, the state commissioner for ransport, Gloria Ekioteine and two others. They have procured the expression of intent and nomination forms for the Federal House of Representatives and State House of Assembly respectively. At the last count, over 50 aspirants have procured their forms.
Our correspondent gathered that the resignation of the Bayelsa SSG and many other aides of the Governor Douye Diri was facilitated by the emergence of a list of contestants approved by a meeting of PDP caucus and elders presided over by Governor Douye Diri.
Sources also confirmed that those cleared by the party caucus are expected to resign and formally join the race as required by the electoral act as amended which stated that they should resign 30 days before the party primaries.
A source close to the meeting said Governor Douye Diri and the caucus of the party have approved the nomination of three aspirants from each constituency to struggle for the ticket of the State House of Assembly.
The member representing Brass Constituency 1 at the State House of Assembly, Daniel Charles will get the party automatic ticket to run for a second term.
A source said the decision for automatic ticket for Hon. Daniel Charles was not done in seclusion but granted to all first term state assembly members to return due to the need for experience on Legislative procedures.
Others claimed Daniel Charles was handed the privilege because of his decision to abandon his erstwhile political benefactors, the minister of state for petroleum resources, Timipre Sylva and member of the Federal House of Representatives, Israel Sunny-Goli of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and joined the PDP.
The Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Abraham Ngobere, who is serving a third term, was cleared to slug it out with Mr. Idumabo Theophilus for the party ticket of Constituency 3.
The Brass Constituency 2 has a former Assembly member and aide to the Governor on Legislative Matters, Hon. Alfred Belemote, aide to the Governor on Student Affairs, Hon. Austin Adigio and Barr. Kelly Philemon Dickson cleared to struggle for the party ticket.
The PDP publicity secretary, and the special adviser to the governor on political matters, Collins Cocodia in a separate chat, however, could not provide the numbers of the aides to the governor that resigned to join the State and National Assembly race.
In Southern Ijaw where the Bayelsa SSG hails from, three persons have been cleared to pick up their nomination forms and they are the incumbent member representing Bayelsa Central, Senator Moses Cleopas, the immediate past Secretary to the State Government and former Speaker of the State Assembly, Rt. Hon. Konbowei Friday Benson and former Acting President of Ijaw National Congress INC), Engr. Charles Ambaiowei.
A close aide to the Governor, who pleaded anonymity, told journalists that Gov. Douye Diri used the meeting among party caucus to dispel rumours over his alleged imposition of aspirants and reported buying of all State Assembly expression of Interest and party nomination forms, insisting that Governor Diri is disposed to proper consultation with the constituents and equity.
