Mimiko leads PDP governors for Dickson’s declaration

Ondo State governor and Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, will lead 12 other governors to attend the formal declaration of Bayelsa State governor, Henry Seriake Dickson, for a second term in office on September 8.
It was learnt that activities for the event have reached its peak in Yenagoa, the state capital.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, Dame Patience Jonathan, will also grace the event as their first public appearance since they left office in May.
Sources said the governors, who are mainly those of the PDP extraction, will arrive in Yenagoa, the state capital, on Monday September 7 to hold a crucial meeting of the PDP Governors scheduled to take place in the Government House.
The meeting will precede the formal declaration where some far-reaching decisions are expected to be taken not only about the current situation in the party as it repositions for the future but also on the common agenda for the governor’s declaration and success of his campaign.
Already, the Director-General of the PDP Governors Forum, Earl Osaro Onaiwo, was sighted at the Government House in Yenagoa on Sunday where he is holding meeting with key government officials to finalise arrangements for the PDP Governors’ meeting on Monday.
“From the look of things, the PDP governors are set to storm Yenagoa in full force. You know Bayelsa State holds a lot of significance for the PDP as a political party. It is not just a state to be retained but you will also realise that it is the home state of former President Goodluck Jonathan. So, there is so much at stake and they are determined to make the governor’s declaration a show of its own. I think the PDP governors want to send out a strong signal of their readiness to keep Bayelsa firmly in the grip of the PDP and as such, their presence will be felt on Tuesday in Yenagoa”, said the source.
However, another source hinted on Sunday that it was still not clear if Dame Patience Jonathan will be at the event but pointed out that both the former First Lady and her husband are fully behind the re-election of the governor.
Activities at the headquarters of the Restoration Campaign Organisation, the governor’s campaign body, in Opolo area of the state capital, were also in top gear on Sunday as officials said they were ready for the campaign.
An official at the campaign office, Samuel Beke, said all arrangements have been concluded to begin a state-wide campaign and confident that Dickson will be re-elected.
According to him, the thrust of the campaign would be the “great achievements” of the governor and the need for continuity.