Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State today fired Commissioner for Sports, Ebikitin Doingoli, via an announcement on a radio station.
Mr. Dickson’s press secretary, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, issued the statement sacking Mr. Doingoli. Even though no reason was given for the commissioner’s removal, several government sources told a correspondent of SaharaReporters that the development was tied to an election for a state assembly seat in the Kolokuma/Opokuma constituency 2 in Bayelsa State. A candd which the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lost to the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA).
The winner of the election, Ebiye Tarabina who is believed to have been sponsored by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Domestic Affairs, Dr Waripamowei Dudafa is a cousin to Doingoli.
Checks indicated that Dickson who was irked about the loss of PDP at the election believed that some party leaders in constituency contributed to the defeat of the party.
According to investigations Dickson is of the view that Kolokuma/ Opokuma constituency 2 was lost because of disloyalty and he has decided to deal with disloyal members in the party.
The sack of Doingoli is seen as just the beginning as more heads would roll after the deputy governor submits his committee report.
Doingoli in an interview confirmed he heard his sack from an announcement by Mr Iworiso- Markson on Glory F.M.
While stating that he has not committed any offence to have warranted his sack, he said he has sent a message to Dickson thanking him for giving him an opportunity to serve the state.
Doingoli admitted that Tarabina is his cousin but exonerated himself from the loss of the PDP at the poll.
According to him he had tried to persuade Tarabina to drop his political ambition but he insisted in contesting on the platform of APGA.
He said “I heard the announcement of my sack on the radio like every other Bayelsans. I have sent a message to the Governor thanking him for giving me the opportunity to serve the state. I believe it has something to do with the House of Assembly election. The APGA candidate that won in Kolokuma/ Opokuma 2, Tarabina is my cousin. The Governor sent me to tell him not to contest and I went to him severally to persuade him not to contest but he insisted that he would contest under the platform of APGA”