The Governor of Bayelsa State and the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) have insisted that Senator Emmanuel Paulker and Mr.
Waripamowei Dudafa, a domestic aide to President Goodluck Jonathan, should be
punished for anti-party activities.
Paulker who won his reelection for a third term and
Dudafa have been on a running battle with Dickson and the state chapter of PDP
for allegedly sponsoring candidates in other political parties against PDP's
candidates.
Mr. Ebiye Tarabina, a candidate believed to have been
sponsored by Dudafa in the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), defeated the
PDP candidate, Mr. Ongore, to win the Kolokuma-Opokuma Constituency II House of
Assembly election.
Dudafa and Paulker are close allies of President
Jonathan and his wife, Dame Patience.
Irked by the development, Dickson had inaugurated a
committee comprising members of his cabinet to investigate the activities of
Dudafa, Paulker and other Abuja-based politicians during the concluded
elections in the state.
But groups loyal to the senator faulted the committee
and said it was a mere witch-haunt against persons opposed to the second term
bid of Dickson.
The governor said on Friday that despite the smear
campaign against him, the party had through the committee commenced
investigations against Dudafa, Paulker and others who were accused of
anti-party activities.
Speaking to party members at the PDP secretariat
Yenagoa, Dickson said, if indicted, the senator, Dudafa and his cohorts would
be expelled from the party.
He said the party would no longer treat indiscipline
with kid gloves adding that the leadership of PDP was waiting for the
committee's report to wield the big stick.
“Those found culpable would be expelled from the
party,” he said.
He added: “The era of indiscipline and disloyalty that
has bedeviled this party in this state is over for good. People should take
this message home.
“We want honest and genuine members who understand the
meaning of being a party man or woman and being a party official means
subordinating personal interest for group interest.
“I have come to deliver a message of hope. The state
is solidly PDP. The issue of indiscipline in the next couple of days the report
will be out and they will all be gone.”
He said the government, in collaboration with other
stakeholders, would work to reorganize the party with a view to regaining
political power at the national level in 2019.
He said that PDP remained the only well-coordinated
party with a focus to deliver the dividends of democracy in the state.
Dickson flaunted the achievements of the party in the
just-concluded elections, saying it won 20 out of the 22 seats declared so far
for the State House of Assembly, three senatorial and the five House of
Representatives' seats.
He urged members of the party to be hopeful and trust
in the party's ability to win the two remaining constituency seats in the state
House of Assembly that were declared inconclusive in the last election.
Dickson noted that the meeting was arranged to
encourage PDP members not to despair in the face of the party's defeat at the
national level.
The governor promised to hold consultations with the
party leadership to organize a thanksgiving service to acknowledge the role of
God in the affairs of the state.
He expressed happiness that the state has been
enjoying relative peace and stability since he came on board.
He also said the government was working closely with
the party leadership to organize a rousing reception for president Jonathan.
He called on members to come out in their numbers to
give Jonathan a heroic welcome on May 29th.
“It would be an emotional event for some of us
receiving the President of the country, who is from the state,” he said.
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