The Peoples Democratic Party’s [PDP] musical chairs in the Niger Delta State of Bayelsa appears a never ending episode as the Jonathan led PDP recently announced through its National Working Committee it has denied/disqualified the incumbent Governor of Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva and three others from contesting in the PDP gubernatorial exercise scheduled for November 19, 2011. The Jonathan led PDP disqualification announcement came 24 hours following the flag off of Gov Timipre Sylva’s campaign for the PDP primary election.
Information available to 247ureports.com through impeccable sources close to the activities in the Presidency reveal that there appears more than meets the naked eye in the imbroglio unfolding between the President and Bayelsa State. Information has it that the refusal of ‘certain’ candidates from participating in the PDP primaries rests principally on the politics of 2016 in Bayelsa State.
Our source revealed that President Goodluck Ebelemi Jonathan’s interest in the ongoing tussle for the PDP gubernatorial ticket has to do with his prefered choice for the governor’s seat come 2016. The President, according to our source, wants the current Petroleum Minister, Mrs Diezani Allison Madueke to mount the seat of Governor come 2016 in Bayelsa State – for reasons that are not clear.
As gathered, the President who remains hurt and somewhat vengeful over the role played by the Bayelsa State governor during the period when the Late President Yar’Adua was ill and admitted to a hospital outside the country, fears that Governor Timipre Sylva, if allowed to hold on to the PDP gubernatorial ticket, may win the general elections, and may not hand over to his [Jonathan] preferred choice for the seat in 2016. Our source indicates that the President had sought hard promises from Gov Timipre Sylva that he will ensure that the Petroleum Minister takes over in 2016 – of which Gov Timipre Sylva obliged and pledged to ensure the Petroluem Minister gets a smooth path to achieving her aspiration. But the Presiency could not bank their trust on the Governor. The source also points to the President’s refusal to allow the NWC of the PDP to clear the likes Ben Bruce and Timi Alaibe as symptomatic of the same fear of not handing over to the Petroleum Minister come 2016.
247ureports.com is not certain the reasons for the President’s determination to clear the way for the Petroluem Minister to mount the revered seat in Bayelsa come 2016 but unconfirmed sources in Bayelsa State indicate that the Presidency is interested in providing immunity cover for the Federal Minister.
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