New move of Bayelsa TAN worries PDP stakeholders

The chilly air between the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan
and Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson is fast turning
into a frosty, gusty wind threatening to upset the gu­
bernatorial equations of the state in 2016.
Some stakeholders in the state chapter of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) expressed worries over what they
described as the “new brief” of the Bayelsa State chapter of
the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria, (TAN), which is
in firm control of loyalists of former Governor Timipre Sylva.
The chairman of TAN in Bayelsa, Hon Sylva Seibarugu, was
Sylva’s deputy governor while the spokesman of the group,
Mr. Nathan Egba is Sylva’s strategist and first cousin, who
had served in his administration as Commissioner for
Information.
Another critical member, Mr. Gideon Ekowe, served as
Secretary to the State Government (SSG) in the Sylva
administration, while Hon. Nestor Binabo, former Speaker of
House of Assembly under Sylva is a major driver of TAN in the
state.
Against the background that Sylva is now a senatorial
candidate on the platform of the APC, strategic positions held
by his loyalists is seen as part of a game plan to undermine
the Dickson administration and possibly stop his re-election
with the connivance of the First Lady, who has never hidden
her disdain for the state governor.
It is further believed that Dame Patience may have given her
nod to Sylva’s take over of the TAN machinery having
extracted a promise from him to collapse the APC structure
into PDP and work towards supplanting Dickson with Dr.
Weripamowei Dudafagh in the PDP governorship primary
coming towards the end of this year. TAN is gradually
becoming another Grassroots Democratic Initiative, GDI, the
group used by Nyesom Wike to fight Governor Amaechi in
Rivers State. Sylva will slug it out with the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) candidate and Silverbird owner, Mr.
Ben Bruce.
A source revealed: “Forget it, the First Lady has told us in our
TAN meeting that Governor Dickson cannot return to
government house. Mrs. Jonathan has assured Sylva of
military and police protection during the senatorial election.
Sylva had agreed to help the First Lady’s political godson, Dr.
Weripamowei Dudafagh unseat Governor Seriake Dickson next
year. That is why as we speak, the Bayelsa State Police
Commissioner does not relate with Dickson at all.”
Meanwhile, Governor Dickson has told those jostling to take
his position to wait for the appropriate time to campaign,
insisting that what should be paramount now was how to re-
elect Jonathan.
While stressing that all Bayelsans will naturally vote for
Jonathan, Dickson advised TAN to move its campaign to APC-
controlled states rather than using TAN to heat up Bayelsa in
the name of canvassing for the President. He gave this charge
during the inauguration of coordinators for the Goodluck/
Sambo campaign. The First Lady’s political romance with
Sylva has reportedly unsettled PDP leaders in the state, who
view the move as the height of anti-party activity.
“There is no gainsaying TAN has a hidden agenda in Bayelsa.
The group is not here to campaign for the reelection of
President Jonathan. It is here to implement the selfish interest
of the First Lady, who has become desperate and is working
with the opposition to remove the governor. The activities of
TAN have divided PDP and at the same time threatening the
success of PDP in the forthcoming election,” declared a party
official who craved for anonymity.