The Need For Asu Beks And Cohorts To Realize The Strategic Importance Of Bayelsa State In South South And National Politics 

Recent events have shown that some group of persons have been recruited within Ijaw Nation for strategic dirty jobs, including monitoring all activities in Bayelsa State and the Ijaw Nation in general and relate feedbacks to their paymasters to continue perpetuation of their anti-Ijaw actions.

I personally engaged Asu Beks after my reply to his earlier publication on Sunday Sun, wherein he said “Ijaws will disown Gov. Douye Diri if he defects to APC”. When I saw his missed call in my phone, I returned the call and we spoke extensively.

During our discussion, I realized that he never had any cogent reasons for holding on to his anti-defection position, the same way he did not give any convincing reason in his very lengthy interview. I also realized that he was only voicing and expressing the opinion of others which is the very reason he was unable to convince me or any other right thinking person.

It is important for Asu Beks and his cohorts to know that Gov. Douye Diri is a leader that acknowledges his position as a Messenger of the people who elected him and at all times, he consults and carries along the electorate and owners of the Commonwealth and Patrimony that he holds entrust.

Gov. Douye Diri knows the strategic position of Bayelsa State as the only homogenous Ijaw state in Nigeria and the significance of Ijaw that is the fourth largest tribe in Nigeria and owner of well over 65% of the crude oil and gas that is used to run the economy of the Nigerian state.

It is sad and quite unfortunate for Asu Beks and his cohorts to situate rumoured defection of Gov. Diri around the visit of Gov. Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta state and his predecessor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa to Gov. Douye Diri in Creek Haven Government House, Yenagoa.

Are they saying that the Governor-General of Ijaw Nation that is the dominant tribe in the geographic Niger Delta region does not have a mind of his own or what?

Asu Beks has spoken so much about PDP been an Ijaw party, but he has not been able to mention names of Ijaws who are founding owners of PDP.

Asu Beks acknowledges how leaders of PDP including Alhaji Mua’zu, the then National Chairman of PDP betrayed President Goodluck Jonathan during the 2015 Presidential election.

He also acknowledges the hijack of PDP by few individuals who have turned PDP to their private estate and they are determined to kill the party to further their political ambitions. He also revealed a secret move cum agenda to ensure that Gov. Douye Diri does not produce a single member of the Bayelsa House of Assembly or member of the National in the forthcoming 2027 National Assembly election. The gang up is to prevail on Gov. Douye Diri to remain in the sinking PDP as the only remaining PDP Governor in the South South and that they will use court to nullify whatever process that PDP shall use to select their candidates during primaries. So at the end, the whole PDP or the faction that will be loyal to Gov. Douye Diri will be displaced and discarded entirely.

Asu Beks also acknowledged the current move by Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai and other northern leaders to breach the North and South unconventional agreement about power rotation after the North under President Mohammadu Buhari just completed their 8years in 2023.

The questions that now begs for answer is, if Asu Beks know all the things I mentioned earlier, including the plan to kill PDP, grand conspiracy to use court to nullify PDP primaries that Gov. Douye Diri and his followers shall participate and the attempt of the North to deny the South her 8years mandate, then why are they insisting that Gov. Douye Diri who is presently the only remaining PDP Governor in the South South geopolitical zone should remain in a confirmed sinking party?

The same Asu Beks agrees that political party whether PDP, APC, LP, etc are likened to vehicles that carry or convey people from one place (destination) to another and that, the break down of one vehicle does not stop movement of people and goods from place to place. Ultimately, what is most important is the destination which in this instant case is access to power and control of instruments of distribution and allocation of scarce resources.

Ijaw people have belonged to several political parties since the pre-independence era to the inception of our contemporary democracy and there is absolutely no way, APC, PDP, LP etc can be the last. Thus, Bayelsa state and the Ijaw Nation should never be tied or stagnated in the name of any political party.

What Bayelsans and indeed the entire Ijaw Nation should be interested is the delivery of dividends of democracy to our great people.

Today, even the worst critics of Gov. Douye Diri are beginning to acknowledge the laudable works of the humble, accessible, unassuming, compassionate and very passionate leader that is rewriting the history of neglect and gross underdevelopment of Bayelsa state.

Many progressives wonder the large heart, bravery and courage of this unique leader that has turned the entire state to a construction site.

The issue of defection is not about Gov. Douye Diri who is completing his second term and he is not desperate for anything, rather it is in the over all interest of the entire Ijaw Nation, knowing the kind of winner takes all politics that is played in the country.

Lagos, Kano and perhaps Anambra States survived opposition politics because of their large economies. Lagos is like a country inside a country. The presence of Seaports and others have built and stabilized the Lagos economy. Kano and Anambra are the economic hubs of the North and South East, respectively.

Bayelsa is a developing state. Gov. Douye Diri who has started the Industrial Revolution of the state is building the Nembe-Brass Road to link Bayelsans and the world to the Ocean. Fortunately, Bayelsa state has the longest coastlines in Nigeria that measures over 203 Kilometres with abundant untapped resources in the Ocean. He is also constructing the road to Agge so that the proposed Agge Seaport can come to reality.

Before the end of this year, the 60Megawatts Twin Plug and Play Gas Turbines will discharge Power to all households in Yenagoa and it’s environ. Bayelsans and other residents will experience uninterrupted electricity. There shall be influx of people into the state and the economy will boom.

Some of the above projects like the Seaport shall come to fruition when Bayelsa state align and work with the centre.

I urge Bayelsans to jettison pride and ego and prevail on Gov. Douye Diri to move into the ruling APC so that more federal projects can be attracted to the state.

No right thinking Bayelsan or Ijaw man or woman will encourage a situation where Ijaws are always used as “Sacrificial Lamb”.

Are we not worried or ashamed that Ijaws who are majority in the South South in terms of population, Ijaws who also own well over 65% of the crude oil and gas in Akwa Ibom, Delta, Edo, Rivers are now playing second fiddle. On the other hand, leaders from the other minority tribes now control and lord over Ijaws simply because they are members of the ruling party at the centre.

Ijaws should have a Rethink and Act Fast to regain her rightful position in the region and country at large.

– Hon. Wisdom Oniekpar Ikuli
Technical Adviser to Governor Douye Diri on Media and Public Affairs.