Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Prominent leaders of the Ijaw nation have joined the clamour for former governor of Bayelsa State, Hon Henry Seriake Dickson to contest the vacant seat of Bayelsa West Senatorial district.
The leaders under the aegis of the Ijaw struggle include Dr Felix Tuodolo, Asari- Dokubo, Frank Omare, Udengs Eradiri, Frank Omare, Alfred Kemepado and Mr Oyinfie Jonjon.
The leaders in a communique issued after the end of a meeting tagged Critical Session said they decided to throw their weight behind Dickson after taking into consideration his contributions to the development and advancement of the Ijaw nation.
According to them as member representing the Sagbama/ Ekeremor Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives for five years and governor of Bayelsa State for eight years, Dickson is a politician whose knowledge of the Ijaw corporate issues is deep and has the political will to muster appeal from his large network of political friendship to drive the cardinal objectives of the Ijaw nation in the Nigerian Senate.
The group noted that as governor, Dickson ran a government which saw the inclusion of Ijaws in Ondo, Delta, Rivers and Akwa- Ibom in governance without any segregation, adding that he became the voice in the call for restructuring of the Nigerian state, true federalism and devolution of power to the component units which made respected senior citizens of Nigeria to rally round him as a leader of trust because of his national progressive cause.
It, therefore, urged the people of Sagbama and Ekeremor to see the candidature of Dickson beyond party lines but a further call to duty in the service of the Ijaw project.
The communiqué read in part “That in view of the above-mentioned realities, it is hereby resolved that all patriotic sons and daughters of Ijaw Nation should persuade and support His Excellency, Hon. H.S Dickson who has been a pillar of support to all Ijaw people irrespective of our artificial boundaries.
And that this decision is unbiased and springs from the above expectations and his overwhelming performance as a former member of the House of Representatives for five years and a Governor who served our people for eight years which has given him the much needed requisite experience.
That we further call on all sons and daughters of Ekeremor local Government to respect our historical understanding of rotation in the Senatorial district and allow their Sagbama kith and kin to produce the Senator to complete the remaining term of His Excellency, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpor to further cement this political decision for unity, cohesion and progressive politics.
We, therefore, call on His Excellency, Hon. HSD to contest the senatorial election while appealing to all Ijaw patriots to stand with His Excellency Hon Seriake Dickson and elect him to the senate to continue to fly the Ijaw flag.”