SOJI AJIBOLA takes a look at the unfolding drama in the oil-rich Bayelsa State, where the governor and his deputy are sticking to different political paths.

Tongues started wagging on what will become of the Ofoni community-born deputy governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Lawrence Ehwrujakpor, as soon as it became public that he was not joining his boss, Governor Douye Diri, to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Diri had announced three weeks ago that he was leaving the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the APC for what he called “obvious reasons.” While that may not come as a surprise, especially as it was becoming a pastime for governors to do so this Fourth Republic, the disclosure that Diri’s deputy, Ehwrujakpor, would not join his boss on the defection train set tongues wagging.

Though the Nigerian law permits that a governor and his deputy may operate from different political parties, as affirmed in the Supreme Court’s ruling in the case of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar versus President Olusegun Obasanjo, the practice we witnessed is that of the governor dragging their deputies along whichever political trajectory they chose. The opposite is instant impeachment.

Right now, a different kind of drama is unfolding in Bayelsa as the deputy is not only refusing to defect like his boss, but he is also sticking to his guns, despite the threat of impeachment.

To preserve himself as a PDP member who is also the deputy governor, Ehwrujakpor had instituted a suit against the Bayelsa State House of Assembly at the state high court, pleading with the judiciary to keep him in his seat as a member of an opposing party against the wishes of his immediate boss.

The decision of both Governor Diri and his deputy to maintain different political lanes is, however, unsettling their political structures, the Restoration and Prosperity groups. The two teams have a history of playing dominant roles in the politics of Bayelsa over the years.

Diri and Ehwrujakpor are members of the Senator Seriake Dickson-led Restoration team, while Ehwrujakpor served as the State Commissioner for Works from 2012-2020. Diri was a member of the House of Representatives representing Yenagoa/Kolokuna/Opokuma Federal Constituency.

The duo of Governor Diri and his deputy, Ehwrujakpor were elected to represent Bayelsa East and Bayelsa West senatorial districts respectively in 2019, before they emerged as governor and deputy in 2020. The working relationship between the duo before this period had made people see Ehwrujakpor as the likely successor to Diri in 2028. There is an argument that since the three Senatorial districts in Bayelsa have all produced a governor each, the adopted rotational principle can start from any of the Senatorial districts in 2028.

With this in mind, some opinion moulders are of the view that if the next round of zoning must start from Bayelsa West, Senator Ehwrujakpor could be favoured, even though there are other likely contenders including Hon. Fred Agbedi, the current Caucus leader of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in the House of Representatives ad a five term member of the Green Chamber who is representing Sagbama/Ekeremor Federal Constituency; the Minister of State for Petroleum, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) among others.

Before the present political debacle, Lokpobori was said to have been hobnobbing with Diri to actualize his ambition of becoming the governor of Bayelsa State in 2028. The defection of Diri to the APC may appear to have cleared the coast for him. While the camp of Lokpobori is viewing Diri’s defection as an opportunity that could boost the former Senator’s governorship ambition, another aspirant, the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Sammy Ogbuku, is said to be planning to leverage on the same defection as an opportunity to launch his gubernatorial ambition too. Some stakeholders are, however, of the view that the ambition of either Lokpobiri or Ogbuku can only be made possible with the use of Abuja connection, as well as the members of the House of Assembly, as tools to show the deputy governor the exit door.

Some members of the House of Assembly were said to have been having nocturnal meetings in Yenagoa and Abuja to perfect the impeachment plot before the lid was blown open, leading to the suit by the deputy governor.

Even though the plan was denied, the deputy governor, as he would not want to be caught unawares, went ahead to file a motion for an interlocutory injunction, restraining the lawmakers from removing him from the office at the Federal High Court, Abuja.

Justice Emeka Nwite, in an order issued on October 27, directed the Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly and five others to appear before the court and show cause why they should not be restrained from taking further steps to impeach the deputy governor over alleged misconduct related to his refusal to defect to another political party.

Ewhrudjakpo, through his counsel, prayed for an order of interim injunction directing the defendants to appear and show cause why the interim reliefs sought in the substantive motion should not be granted pending the hearing and determination of the matter. He also sought an order restraining the defendants from removing or impeaching him as deputy governor of Bayelsa State in violation of the provisions of Sections 188 (5–11) and 36(1) of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution (as amended). He argued that his refusal to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) or any other political party before the end of his tenure should not be a basis for impeachment.

The deputy governor further asked the court to stop the assembly from initiating or conducting any impeachment proceedings against him on account of his decision to remain in the PDP. Though the case is still pending before the court, it was gathered that Gov. Diri is lobbying his deputy to join him in the APC, having made it known that his decision to join the party was borne out of his interest for the state.

The governor had said of his defection: “Somebody had to make the decision (to leave the PDP), and I took it on behalf of the state. I took it in the best interest of the state. Some of you might not understand now, but later, it will be clear to all.

“When we came in as a government, what we did at the beginning was to ensure that most of the uncompleted projects were completed, and we introduced new ones. That alone is enough reason to thank God. We also thank God for the peace and security we are enjoying.

“Politics is for development and not to kill your brother. The gathering here is a testimony of the unity in the state.”

Diri had also insisted that peace can only be achieved through dialogue, including making his deputy rethink his decision not to join the APC.

He also told newsmen that the discussions with his deputy would yield positive results. The governor had said, “I believe in engagement rather than confrontation. I will continue to discuss this with my deputy. Even though it is difficult for both of us to be in different political parties, with ongoing engagements, the result will be fruitful. Our discussions have started yielding fruit with the decision of the deputy governor to discontinue the case at the Federal High Court, Abuja, over the purported impeachment plan.

However, political watchers have been asking what becomes of the deputy governor after discontinuing the case in court, if he relies on the understanding of the governor. It was understood that members of the APC in the state are insisting on the fair sharing of the political offices ahead of the 2027 election, despite accepting Diri as the political leader.

There are also questions about the relationship with former governor Seriake Dickson in the unfolding situation. Some watchers have said that questions are being asked about how the erstwhile political leader in the state, Senator Seriake Dickson, would feel seeing his erstwhile godson leave the party that gave him the platform to serve the people as a two-term commissioner for Works and as the deputy governor of Bayelsa State. Questions are also being asked if the likes of Lokpobori and Ogbuku cede the governorship ticket of the APC to the governor’s camp come 2028. There are also questions as to whether Diri will contest against Senator Dickson in the 2027 senatorial election if given the APC Senatorial ticket of the Bayelsa West Senatorial District in 2027? On the side of Ehwrujakpor, there are questions as to whether the House of Assembly will not wake up one day to actualize the impeachment plot if he continues to remain in the PDP, especially if he withdraws his suit at the Federal High Court, Abuja. Above are some of the pertinent questions raging in the minds of Bayelsa political stakeholders on the fate of the deputy governor, the likely development between the governor and his former boss, Dickson, and the scenarios that may play out in 2027. The last has not been heard as to the answers to those questions. It is also not certain whether the deputy governor would be able to pull through the dangerous curve by sustaining himself on the platform of another party while his boss remains in the APC. For now, the drama continues. (Nigerian Tribune)