By Samuel Oyadongha

BAYELSA State elders and leaders have called on the leading political parties to respect the principle of zoning of governorship position in the state.

PDP and its colour flags

The concerned stakeholders drawn from Kolokuma-Opokuma, Yenagoa and Southern Ijaw Local Government Areas of the state, under the aegis of Progressives of the Central Senatorial district, at a briefing in Yenagoa said, under the existing rotational arrangement,  it as the turn of the Central zone to produce the next governor.

Led by Engr. Charles Ambaowei,  former acting President of Ijaw National Congress, INC, the stakeholders, urged the political class and parties to adhere to the existing zoning formula which according to them, had ensured seamless transition citing past governors including Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha (Bayelsa Central), Dr. Goodluck Jonathan (Bayelsa East), Chief Timipre Sylva (Bayelsa East) and Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa West).

According to the stakeholders, “Bayelsa has since 1996, operated on the principle of rotation laid down by the founding fathers of the state.

“They established the principle to zone governorship to three Senatorial districts. From the inception of democracy, it has been practised from one senatorial district to another.

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“What is agitating us now is that the beneficial principle is about being jettisoned by self-seeking politicians. We are seeing funny dances within the PDP. And we have resolved to come out and insist on the fact that the good principle should not in any way be pushed aside.

“It is an appeal put before the leadership of the PDP and other political parties at the state and national level to accommodate rotational principle which is to reduce the boiling tension to replace Governor Dickson. Accordingly, we call on people of goodwill to do all they can to produce what will work well.

“We are looking for a governor that will govern Bayelsa and not a section of the state.  Whoever emerges must display good character, courage, competitiveness and good conscience. We have all these in the Central Senatorial district.

“We salute the founding fathers of the state for their courage to bequeath such sound principle of zoning and rotation,” he said.

Also speaking, a former member of the state House of Assembly from Yenagoa Constituency 3, Emela Gentle, called on the leaders of the PDP to adhere to the principle of rotation and ensure equity and fairness.

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