2027: Bayelsa East stakeholders protest alleged plot against senate seat rotation

By Emem Idio, Yenagoa

Political leaders, traditional rulers, youths and women drawn from Ogbia, Nembe and Brass Local Government Areas in Bayelsa East Senatorial District on Monday took to the streets of Yenagoa, the state capital to protest alleged plot to scuttle the existing rotation arrangement of the senate seat.

The protesters, who displayed placards with various inscriptions had gathered at the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Press Centre, as early as 7:am, before marching through Azikoro Road, Chief Melford Okilo Road and Eleki, before terminating at Toolda Hotel, the venue for the screening of All Progressives Congress, APC , aspirants for Bayelsa East senatorial district.

The inscriptions on the placards read: “Respect zoning in Bayelsa East,” ” Don’t kill zoning in Bayelsa East,” “Rotation is the best for Bayelsa East”, ” It is Brass turn to produce senator,” “Keep power rotation alive, obey zoning for fairness & equity,” ” Nembe, Ogbia, Brass are one! its Brass turn”, among others.

Speaking at the screening venue, High Chief Olerua Salvation of Ogbia Local Government Area,said: “We are here to say no to second term, in Bayelsa East Senatorial District we have a gentleman zoning formular that is existing in our area and we don’t want somebody to come and spoil the peace we are having in our senatorial district.

“What we are saying as traditional leaders is that it is the turn of Brass Local Government Area to produce the next senator; our father Chief Melford Okilo made this possible for the three local government areas to benefit. He had the capacity to serve for second term in 1999 but because of the love he has for his people, he left the seat to Brass and the Brass people handed over to Nembe.

“Now this period we are hearing rumors upon rumors that the serving senator wants to come for a second term and we are saying that he should not in anyway come and contest for second tenure. We the traditional leaders join hands with the youths to say no to second term.”

Also speaking the Federal Commissioner representing Bayelsa State in the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMFAC, and a member of the APC screening committee for Bayelsa East, Dr Helen Bob, said: “In this senatorial district there has been a rotation political culture that we have observed for over two decades. I see reasons why they are protesting because it is the turn for Brass.

“The screening committee definitely made up of very credible reputable characters who are leaders of our Senatorial District would really do justice to what it ought to be.

“I know that no local government will be marginalized, no local government will be meted with injustice, for me I am very optimistic that the needful will be done.

“For the protesters let them calm down at the end of today they will see the result that will come up because it is the turn of Brass Local Government Area, and we are believing that most of the aspirants that will come here will be from from Brass Local Government Area.”

A youth leader and Convener Bayelsa East Forum and former National Vice President Ogbia Brotherhood Youth Council, OBYC, Mr Qunincy Mac-Odo, said: “As youth leaders of East Senatorial District we have a stake, there is already an existing zoning formula from 1999 to date.

“We are here as youth leaders, women leaders, political groups and chiefs to say that the zoning formula that has been existing before should be honoured. The zoning formula that has been existing for so many years that has produced seven senators have kept the senatorial district in peace, unity and harmony.

“We don’t want someone who already knows the zoning formula that has been existing but because of personal ambition wants to scuttle the zoning formula in Bayelsa East, we are saying no to second term.

“What we want is that it is the turn of Brass people, we want the zoning formula to continue simultaneously as the East Senatorial stakeholders have agreed upon and it cut across all party lines in Bayelsa East.”

Also speaking, a Special Assistant to the Governor on New Media , Mr Timila Austin, said: “Our demand is simple, our demand is equity, since time memorial our leader Chief Melford Okilo, who gave us the precedent of one tenure of four years in the senate.

“There is no arrangement anywhere that there will be a second tenure, it has not been arranged anywhere, it is very simple, the current senator has done his term of four years and it is now the turn of Brass Local Government Area.

“That is why we are here to add our voices to call on all our stakeholders to stand on the existing formula that brought in the incumbent senator. We are told today is the turn for screening of Bayelsa East senate aspirants and House of Representatives aspirants, that is why we are here to equally make our voices known to them that this is the demand of the people of Bayelsa East.”