Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development and Director General of Sylva/Igiri Campaign Organization of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, on Tuesday, lost his home support to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
All the communities in his Ekeremor Local Government Area of the South-South state unanimously endorsed the second term bid of Governor Seriake Dickson at the various rallies during the governor’s tour of the area, culminating in an unprecedented mega rally in Ekeremor town where a mammoth crowd had gathered to endorse his re-election bid.
Before the Ekeremor rally, the communities visited included Ayamasa, Obirigbene, isampou, egbemo-Angalabiri,tamogbene, Amabulou and Foutorugbene. Others were Peretorugbene, Ndoro, Aghoro,Aleibiri and Ekeremor, the hometown of the minister.
The campaign team was comprised of the governor’s wife, Dr. Mrs. Rachael Dickson, a proud daughter of the area and same for the Director General of the campaign, Hon. Fred Agbedi, who is also the current serving member of the House of Representatives for Sagbama/Ekeremor federal constituency.
Also on the governor’s entourage include Senator Foster Ogola, representing Bayelsa West Senatorial zone, the acting State PDP Chairman, Chief Serena Dokubo-Spiff, and others.
The people and their leaders said their decision to back the governor second term bid was based on his impressive performance in office compared with their son, Lokpobiri, whom they said was unable to attract any development to them throughout his eight years in the Senate.
Describing the on-going Sagbama-Ekeremor road project as a lasting legacy of the present administration, the chiefs and the entire people of the area said they have no option than to support Dickson’s re-election.
At the various rallies, political gladiators in the area including the former Deputy Governor, Peremobowei Ebebi, Solomon Aguananagha, Boyelayefa Debekeme and all serving political appointees said they would do everything within the confines of law to ensure that PDP wins convincingly in Ekeremor. .
According to them, APC’s supporters in the area were negligible and could not convince any well- meaning Ekeremor person to vote for their candidate, who they said, for five years as governor paid lip service to the all- important Sagbama-Ekeremor road.
The chiefs and people of Peretorugbene in particular thanked Dickson for the role he played in the burial of their late son, General Patrick Azazi
At Agoro, the campaign turned a carnival as everyone participated in the open dance when Dickson arrived. The kings, chiefs and the people stated that their daughter is the governor’s wife and as well the Director General being their son and as such they will give 100 per cent votes to the governor. .
The governor also paid courtesy calls on traditional rulers of the various communitiesincluding the Amananaowei Of Ekeremor, Chief Aghodo Gbaseimo and the Alei of Aleibiri, Chief Simon Ebebi.
Addressing the mega rally at Ekeremor, Dickson assured the people of his commitment to completing the multi billion naira senatorial road project which sand-filling, he noted, has passed Ofoni
Dickson thanked the people for the remakable reception accorded him and his entourage and used the opportunity to commission the state owned Izon Ibe Micro finance Bank at Ekeremor.
