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Tension In Bayelsa PDP As State Assembly Speaker Decides To Seek 4th Legislative Term

Kombowei Benson, who has been in the Bayelsa State House of Assembly for last 16 years, and has been Speaker for eight of those years, was reported to have confirmed his decision to seek a fourth term as Assembly member, claiming he had been prevailed upon by his constituents.

Kombowei Benson, Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, is contesting  for a fourth term in office having backed out of his earlier decision to run for the House of Representatives.

The development has generated tension within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area Council State.

Kombowei Benson, who has been in the Bayelsa State House of Assembly for last 16 years, and has been Speaker for eight of those years, was reported to have confirmed his decision to seek a fourth term as Assembly member, claiming he had been prevailed upon by his constituents. 

Though he was alleged to have decided to seek governorship and later the House of Representatives, his latest decision, revealed during the stakeholders meeting held on Wednesday, has thrown the party into disarray, as other aspirants kicked against his claim of endorsement by his rivals. 

After the meeting, Benson told newsmen that the people of Southern Ijaw Constituency 4 and some Assembly aspirants had endorsed him and stepped down for him to run for fourth term. 

Six other aspirants have however, dismissed, the Bayelsa Speaker’s claim. 

Contacted on the development, one of the leading aspirants to replace the Bayelsa Speaker in 2019, Dr Michael Amaegberi, denied the claims that other aspirants had stepped down for Benson.

According to Amaegberi, the claim is “malicious, ludicrous and intended to distract the public and particularly the good people of the constituency from the real issues surrounding the contestation for that seat”. 

He said: "To keep the records straight, we wish to clarify that while Mr Speaker, Rt Hon. Konbowei Benson, was speaking at the Constituency's stakeholders meeting, he jokingly said Dr Amaegberi and another aspirant have in separate occasions agreed to step down for him during his ongoing consultations to contest for the seat for a record fourth term."

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Politics