The strained relationship between the wife of President Goodluck Jonathan, Dame Patience Jonathan, and Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State has taken a turn for the worse, culminating in the First Lady’s resignation of her appointment as Permanent Secretary in the Bayelsa State Civil Service.

Aged 57, Mama Peace, as the First Lady is otherwise called, has three more years to disengage from the civil service but has chosen to leave voluntarily, according to a report by THE PUNCH.

The paper recalled that “Dame Patience Jonathan was one of the appointed 17 permanent secretaries in the state civil service in July 2012” and that “the appointment had caused outrage in the state at the time with some Bayelsans expressing misgivings about it and the extent to which the civil service was politicised.”

On the frosty relationship between Dame Patience, who was appointed Perm Sec in the Bayelsa State Ministry of Education despite living in Abuja with her husband and children, THE PUNCH said it was triggered by her unwillingness to support Dickson’s second term bid.

“Instead, it was learnt that the First Lady had preference for the Special Assistant to the President on Domestic Matters, Mr. Waripamowei Dudafa,” the paper said.

A native of neighbouring Rivers State but a Bayelsan by marriage, Dame Patience Jonathan is well known for her political meddlesomeness. News Express reports that her disagreement with Governor Chibuike Amaechi culminated in irreconcilable differences her husband and between the Rivers State Governor, leading to Amaechi’s defection from the ruling Peoples Democratic party to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).

•Photo shows Dame Patience Jonathan.