In Bayelsa State, the fear of Famou Tengbei used to be the beginning of wisdom

FRANCIS AGBO (Abuja) and OSA OKHOMINA (Yenagoa) chronicle the electoral deficits of Governor Timipre Sylva ahead of the 2012 governorship polls in Bayelsa State.

In Bayelsa State, the fear of Famou Tengbei used to be the beginning of wisdom until recently when it was disbanded by the Inspector General of Police, Hafiz Ringin. Translated in Ijaw,

Famou Tengbei means sweep and throw away. The dreaded outfit was reportedly used by the Bayelsa State governor, Chief Timipre Sylva to cage his opponents thereby creating uncertainty in the oil rich state. To compound the governor’s plight, Silva’s New Phase, a political group working for his return to the Creek Haven in 2012 is shaky. The group is arguably the most loathed group of politicians in Bayelsa State. Why? The governor is so unpopular in the state because majority of the people believe he has in the past four years impoverished the people.  ‘‘The governor has put the state on motion with out movement. Chief DSP Alamiesiegha and Dr. Goodluck Jonathan tried to develop the state when they were governors, but all  the Silva administration did was to plunder our resources,’’ Chief Power Soha, told LEADERSHIP.

The hatred is even worse among politicians based in Abuja. Loyalists of President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, Dame Patience are no exceptions. They had remained silent on the re-election of Sylva as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2012 polls. That has now changed as they have turned 360 degree, working assiduously to truncate the return bid of the governor.  Sylva’s critics insist that the current governor has not delivered on his promise to the electorate. They also accused him of disloyalty and disrespect to the office of the President. LEADERSHIP learnt that Sylva’s “unpardonable sins” was that he allegedly deceived Jonathan into believing that he had struck a deal with foreign investors to build a $7billion Hyundai shipyard in Bayelsa State. The excited president announced it to the whole world only to later realise that he was been fooled by Silva. But a source said Sylva came up with the ploy to create an impression before the president that he was working and deserving of a re-election in April 2011. But the election was postponed by the verdict of the Court of Appeal. Sylva was also said to have boasted in a telephone chat with a former Health Commissioner in the state, Dr. Azibabu Eruani that the president was too weak to stop his re-election in 2011. A Source claimed that the chat developed into hot argument between Sylva and his sacked commissioner who recorded the conversation unknown to the governor. Eruani allegedly played back the tape to the hearing of the President’s wife and the National Security Adviser, General Owei Azazi.

And the final straw that broke the camel’s back was Sylva’s alleged request that Jonathan should help influence the impending Supreme Court judgement in favour of the governors. The verdict is to be delivered soon on the tenure of Sylva and other governors whose states didn’t hold elections in April. The thinking of Sylva and colleagues is that the apex court should uphold the ruling of the appellate court so that there would remain in office to superintend the polls. This originally would spell doom for their opponents both at the primaries and general elections. Jonathan was so embarrassed by Sylva’s request and vowed to avoid him like a plaque.

Meanwhile, many Nigerians have been reacting to the Hyndai Shipyard scandal. The Civil Liberty Organization (CLO) described the Hyundai Heavy Industry Shipyard sham as a national embarrassment which has lowered the estimation of Bayelsa State in the eyes of the international community. The CLO Secretary in the state, Comrade Morris Alagoa called for proper investigation on the role played by Sylva in the failed deal.
Alagoa said the failed deal confirms the incapability of Sylva to deliver on his promise of  investment in the state.

Alagoa said though the President accepted to receive Sylva and his entourage in the interest of the nation, the involvement of the Bayelsa governor confirms his fear that there was more to the issue than meets the eyes.

“Somehow, I had some reservations but still gave the governor a benefit of doubt. But with the controversy triggered by the visit to Jonathan, it has confirmed my fears that we should not always take the governor’s pronouncement seriously. He told us in the state, two years ago, that the federal government has given the state license to import bulk cement. He said he would build a cement factory and that it will bring down cost of cement in the state, but we are yet to see that happen.

Labour Party (LP) chairman in the state, Bobo Atari-Adou and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) Youth Leader, Comrade Miriki Ebikibina called for investigation to expose the role of the governor and the consultant in the controversy.. Ebikibina queried why the President was easily deceived into believing such claims when he has the structure to thoroughly probe the South Koreans and the deal. He said the failed deal was an indication that the ruling PDP was incapable of  attracting foreign investors to the state and the country.

The presidency has denied complicity in the failed deal and the visit to Aso Rock. This position was communicated by Presidential Spokesman, Mr. Reuben Abati in a chat with state house correspondents.

Signs that the Bayelsa governor is under intense pressure showed at the Independence Day celebration in the state. Sylva’s speech at the event was laden with anger against the critics of his administration.

Sylva complained that his critics had seen nothing good in his administration and wondered why his government had been thoroughly disparaged for underperformance and insisted that the state had done better than others created alongside it.
He said: “Show me a state created same time with Bayelsa State that is doing better than our state”, he said acknowledging that the state was faced with many challenges. He named some of the challenges facing the state as poverty, unemployment and illiteracy. He however assured ‘‘we are determined to fight them”.

He said developing the state was not the sole responsibility of PDP and his government but collective efforts of people from the state. The governor, who was obviously angry, said democracy had offered ample opportunity for rancour-free development.
He said most of the projects he embarked upon will soon be commissioned adding that he had deepened democracy in the state; provided human capital development, security and stable electricity to the masses. He identified jetties,  500 low-cost housing for civil servants, health centers, permanent head quarters for the Ijaw National Council as projects he had executed in the state.

Although Sylva’s supporters have increased the tempo of campaigns in different parts of the State to convince doubting supporters of the ticket of the Party, both the governor and his opponents are anxiously waiting for Supreme Court verdict on the tenure of Silva and other three governors of Cross River, Sokoto and Adamawa States and Kogi State governorship candidate.
Political observers in the state have started drawing various permutations from pending scenarios on the possible removal of the governor if the Supreme Court judgment is delivered against the governors. If the verdict favours Silva, the governor’s camp claimed the primary would be a roller coaster for the incumbent. If the reverse is the case, Silva would leave his exalted office for the speaker Nestor Binabo to superintend the entire state and the PDP primary to elect the party’s standard bearer for the position of governor.

And with the disbandment of the dreaded Security outfit, Famou Tangbei by the IGP, analysts believe that Silva may have been imprisoned because the outfit was allegedly used by government to hack down the opposition.

This may further brighten the chances of Hon Henry Seriake Dickson, House of Representatives Committee on Special duties at the polls. Dickson who represents Sagbama/ Ekeremor Federal Constituency in the green chamber has been endorsed by the popular Green Movement, a virile political group in Bayelsa State to run for governor on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The group was also at the vanguard of Jonathan’s presidency! Before, the Green Movement endorsed Dickson, the lawmaker had been endorsed by over 80 elders of Bayelsa West Senatorial District in Yenogoa and Sagbama town respectively. The endorsement which took place separately in yenagoa, and Sagbama respectively was at the instance of elders of Ekeremor and Sagbama Federal Constituency which also doubles as Bayelsa West.

Chairman of Ekeremor Elders, Chief Asiyai Etifa chaired the Ekeremor elders meeting while his Sagbama counterpart, Hon Fineman Wilson superintended the Sagbama parley.

The elders said they were supporting Dickson because of his integrity, consistency of character, experience and track record of service to the people as a lawmaker, having represented them at the National Assembly creditably. They said Dickson has the capacity to develop the state, restore peace in the land and unite the people of the state. While praising Dickson for sponsoring various bills in the house, the elders said the lawmaker equally distinquished himself when he served as Justice Commissioner of Bayelsa State. They said they were throwing their weight behind the lawmaker because of all the people that have indicated interest in the coveted seat, Dickson’s candidature represents credible alternative to the status-quo. They also believe with Dickson in the Creek Haven, he would harness the human and material resources of the state and improve the lots of the ordinary Ijaw man. The elders urged Sylva not to seek re-election in 2012 because according to them, Sylva has plunged the state into spiral of violence. The elders also accused the current governor of failing to deliver on his promise to the people. While calling on Sylva and all PDP heavy weights in the state to support Dickson, the elders urged the PDP to adopt Dickson as a consensus candidate.

When contacted, Dickson thanked the elders for reposing confidence in him even as he said he would consult with all stakeholders in the state before responding to the clarion call. At press time, Dickson’s posters announcing his ambition to be governors are all over the state.

It will be recalled that Sylva has been having a running battle with the masses and some elites who have relentlessly accused him of under-developing the state and plunging it into crisis with his notorious security outfit, Famou Tangbei used to allegedly harass opposition in the state. Famou Tangbei in Ijaw means ‘‘sweep and throw away.’’ Now that the PDP has openly said there was no automatic ticket for incumbent governors, Silva’s ordeal may have redoubled!

If Silva loses the PDP ticket, he would go down in history as the first governor since 1999 to have lost his party’s ticket for a second term.