The Peoples Democratic Party’s long reign in Bayelsa State may be coming to an end as the date for Bayelsa State gubernatorial polls draws closer. The part’s domination of state politics which began in 1999 with the duo of ex-Governor Diepriye Alamieyeseigha and his deputy Nigeria’s immediate past President Goodluck Jonathan has continued till date from Timipre Sylva down to Seriake Dickson whose first term tenure nears expiration.
The chances of the PDP to emerge victorious at the December polls look slimmer each passing day. As the All Progresive Congress slogan of ‘change’ is felt as needed in the state. This is a result of the failure of the transformation administration to deliver pubic goods to the people.
The major obstacles that bedevils the PDP’s chances of victory is the choice of Seriake Dickson who mostly have fallen out of favour with the people particularly the youths. Dickson’s unpopularity hovers around his deductions of salaries of state workers to unpaid bursary allowances to students of Bayelsa State origin in the various higher instituition within the country all through his four years tenure. Despite coming on air at African Independent Television show with Gbenga Aruleba with claims of having disbursed 100 million naira for bursaries. Yet no student has claimed to have received a single dime from the government.
The mass defection of men of political sagacity from the PDP to the APC in the state such as Heineken Lokpobiri, Timi Alaibe, Dr. Imoro Kubor, Hon Obegha Oworiso, Dr. Tarilah Teepebah, Senator John Brambaifa, Chief Fred Ekeigha, Chief Ebitimi Amgbare and others have not only weakened the vanguard of the party but has left them utterly disoriented with more defectors emerging each passing day.
The derailing level of socio economic development within the state also calls for concern on the PDP’s ability to revamp the economy of the state. Other issues such as the N15bn flood funds for the state raised by the APC to have been allegedly embezzled by the Seriake Dickson’s administration.
Seriake Dickson’s gubernatorial aspiration declaration on September 8 only foretells the downfall of the PDP in Bayelsa State. Though the PDP can still emerge victorious if its internal party conflict is resolved with a better candidate emerging. With the present candidates for both the PDP and APC, Bayelsans still have to choose between the devil and the deep blue sea.

http://ebbysblog.com/blog/bayelsa-2015-between-the-devil-and-the-deep-blue-sea-ebiteme-asamaowei/

Conflict or not, the minds of the people will tell through their votes unless their are other ulterior motives.