By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

The significance of  the  outing  of  former  President Goodluck Jonathan  last  Tuesday would not be lost on anyone. For  the  first  time  since  he  lost  the  presidential election, Dr. Jonathan  appeared  in a  public  ceremony  and  came  out  wholly  to  endorse  his protégée, Governor  Serikae  Dickson  for  a  second  term. 

Also  present that  day  was  his  wife, Patience  who  had  been  alleged  to  have  fallen  out irredeemably with Dickson. Her  presence  underlined  the  threat  that is  facing  the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP as  it  battles  the  All Progressives Congress, APC in  the  governorship  election  due in December.

Remarkably, Dickson is  being  challenged  for  the  ticket  of  the  party  by Senator  Paulker  Emmanuel, a  third-term  senator,  close  associate  of Dr. Jonathan  and  his blood  relative  on  the  maternal  side.

The  drums of  the  APC are  being  beaten  by  former  Governor Timipire Sylva,  who  has  bounced  back  to  reckoning  after  helping  President Muhammadu Buhari to his  historic  election.

Sylva  was  forced  out of  office  after Jonathan in an  unusual  act  of  political  brinkmanship in 2011  led  the  Abuja  forces  to  deny  his  governor  the  ticket  of  the  PDP. Sylva’s  advantages  in  the  APC  contest  are  obvious  to  all  having  been  the  one  that  determined  the  election  of  virtually  all  the  delegates  that are  going  to  vote  inthe  primary  election. Sylva,  it  was  alleged  resorted  to  the  contest  after  reading  the  body  language  that Buhari may not factor him in his  permutations  in  the federal  cabinet.

Given  the  fact  that  Sylva  entered  the  contest  reluctantly  and  lately,  it  is not  surprising  that  the  opposition  APC is  surfeit  with  aspirants  many  of  who  defectedfrom  the  PDP,  the  most  formidable  being  Timi Alaibe,  who  has serially  made  his  bid  and  at one  time  had  the  most  imposing  political  structure  in  the  state.

Besides them  many  other  aspirants  said  to be in  the  contest  include  former  Nigeria ‘s Envoy to Japan, Emmanuel  Otiotio;  former  Housing  and  Lands Commissioner, Austin Ogionwo,  former  state  PDP  chairman,  former  member  of  the  Federal House of Representatives, Hon.  Warman  Ogoriba  and  formerSecretary to Bayelsa State Government, Senator Felix Oboro.

Others  include  former  Commissioner  for  Local Government, Chief  Godknows  Powell,  former  Chief of Staff to Gov. Seriake Dickson, Chief Dikivie Ikhiogha,former  member, House of Representatives, Christopher  Enai  and  the  immediate  past  senator  representing  Bayelsa East Senatorial  district, Senator Clever Ikisikpo.