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122 PDP Candidates Jostle For 24 Bayelsa Assembly Seats

September 12, 2018

According to the list posted at the state secretariat of the PDP, out of the 122 State Assembly aspirants cleared, seventeen are incumbent lawmakers, while the remaining 105 are first-timers.

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The screening committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa State has cleared 122 aspirants to contest the State House of Assembly primaries.

Three persons were screened out.

According to the list posted at the state secretariat of the PDP, out of the 122 State Assembly aspirants cleared, seventeen are incumbent lawmakers, while the remaining 105 are first timers.

Those screened out by the party are Ayebainaemi lberbo (Nembe 1); Christopher Omu (Brass 1), and Erigi Wamoemi (Yenagoa 3).

According to the Organising Secretary, Luke Deomeru, the details of the uncleared aspirants could not be made public, unless the aspirants expressed grievances and contacted the screening panel.

Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, which has the largest council in the state, has 37 aspirants and 16 from constituency 4, where the current Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Kombowei Benson hails from.

Benson has served as member of the State House of Assembly in the last 12 years and emerged Speaker in the last eight years.

Five of the 17 incumbent are vying for a third term in the house, who had claimed that they were prevailed upon by their constituents to seek re-election, have faced opposition as some of their constituents have vowed to work against their re-election bids.

They  include Hon. Tonye Isenah (Kolokuma/Opokuma) of constituency one; Hon. Obiene Iniyobiyo (Nembe) of constituency three; Dr. Peter Akpe (Sagbama) of constituency one; Hon. Monday Bolou Edwin Obolo (Southern Ijaw) of constituency two and Hon. Omonibeke Kemelayefa (Ekeremor) of constituency two.

Three former caretaker chairmen, Hon. Oboku Abonisizibe Oforji, from Yenagoa constituency one; Naomi Benjamin Ogoli, Ogbia constituency three and Hon. Wisdom Fafi of (KOLGA) constituency two, also claimed to have support of the state governor.

The organising secetary also said the party is ready for the primaries and it will be free, fair and credible, adding that all aspirants, whether new or old, would be given a level-playing ground to contest.