PDP leader opposes Alamieyeseigha’s senatorial ambition

A leader of Peoples Democratic Party in Bayelsa State, Mr. Douye Diri,
has advised former Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, to drop his
senatorial ambition and play the father figure for the young ones.
It was learnt that Alamieyeseigha, who is from Southern Ijaw Local
Government Area of the Bayelsa Central Senatorial District, had
submitted his expression of interest form to run for the Senate in
2015.
Diri, the Principal Secretary to Governor Seriake Dickson, from
Kolokuma/Opokuma LGA, has also declared for the senatorial seat having
submitted his EIF.
He said in an interview that of the three LGs that make up Bayelsa
Central, two LGs – Yenagoa and Southern Ijaw had had shots at the
Senate for 16 years with the exception of Kolokuma/Opokuma.He said,
"For Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, politically speaking, his
declaration is actually very wrong. He is from Southern Ijaw. The LGA
person has been there for eight years.
"For another Southern Ijaw man again, particularly for a person we all
have very high regard and respect for, I expect that Alamieyeseigha
should be a father figure for all of us. He should play more of an
advisory role to us and allow us (the younger ones) to also grow."
He advised that people should allow democracy to thrive in Bayelsa
State Central Senatorial District and allow the district to nominate
whom it thought should represent the people based on the agreed zoning
arrangement.
He advocated that the zoning of the senatorial seat to
Kolokuma/Opokuma should be respected in the interest of peace and
unity.
Diri said, "Either in written or by convention, there is zoning. The
first senator to represent the district when Bayelsa was created,
Senator Brigidi, served the district for two terms. He wanted to go
for third tenure, but the people said no.
"At the end of the day, Senator Emmanuel Paulker emerged from Yenagoa
LGA and he has also served two terms and the people are now saying the
position should move to Kolokuma/Opokuma LGA. Suffice it to say that
Kolokuma/Opokuma is one area that has suffered for the emancipation of
Ijaw man dating back to the days of late Major Adaka Boro, up to the
Kaiama declaration, down to the burning down of Odi and several other
Ijaw activities."