The March 6 Supreme Court judgment upholding Governor Seriake Dickson as the validly nominated Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the 2012 governorship election has unsettled the political camp of First Lady Patience Jonathan.
The panel of judges led by Justice Sylvester Ngwuta had affirmed Dickson as the PDP candidate, a decision that has altered the calculation of the anti-Dickson elements in the state.
It was gathered on Tuesday night that several efforts were made to compromise th judges to deliver judgment in favour of the ousted governor Chief Timipre Sylva.
According to the sources, certain opposition figures had mobilized hundreds of their supporters to take to the streets in the event the judgment went in their favour.
Those opposed to Dickson have reportedly moved to use the suspended party chairman Col. Sam Inokoba to create crisis and weaken the governor’s influence in the state PDP chapter.
Pressure is reportedly being mounted on some members of the state PDP executive to move against Governor Dickson.
The First Lady, Presidency sources said, may have ditched the Presidential Assistant on Domestic Matters, Dr. Weripamowei Dudafa and shopping for a new candidate to succeed Dickson.
At a meeting on Sunday night in Abuja, the anti-Dickson politicians reportedly mapped out strategies to block the second term ambition of Governor Dickson.
It was gathered that the meeting which was held at the residence of a key political figure in Abuja was attended by two serving senators and three serving members of the House of Representatives. Also present at the meeting were some former commissioners and aides in Dickson’s and Sylava’s administrations and key members of the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN).
It was learnt that the camp of the First Lady decided to replace Dudafa with Inokoba because he (Dudafa) was generally considered too young and lacked the knowledge and experience to manage such a sensitive office.Dudafa and Inokoba hail from Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area in the Central Senatorial District of the state.
Sources said that before Inokoba was selected, other prominent politicians from the district who had earlier indicated interests for the position were also considered. The former Chairman, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Tebepah Terila and former Managing Director, NDDC, Chief Timi Alaibe, were said to have failed the evaluation test of the camp.
