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By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
Former chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA Yenagoa branch and onetime Executive Secretary,Federal Character Commission, Barrister Jude Rex-Ogbuku said impunity,disobedience to party rules and regulations and a collition of those frustrated out of the Peoples Democratic Party by Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa state made the party to lose the state to the All Progressives Congress,APC in the just concluded Governorship election.
Rex-Ogbuku who doubles as a member of the Judiciary and Legislative sub-commitee of the recently inaugurated transition committee by the Bayelsa state Governor-elect,Chief David Lyon stated this Wednesay in Yenagoa in a chat with our correspondent.
The erstwhile NBA helmsman argued that but for the way and manner in which Dickson and his cohorts abused power and meted out injustice to many diehard former PDP members who sought solace and consolation in the APC the PDP would have still stuck to power in the state.
The APC transition committee member disclosed that if things work as envisaged in the incoming Government then the party which before now was the largest opposition in the state might just hold on to power for as many years as possible,insisting that one cardinal approach of the Government would be putting capable and qualified hands into appointive positions.
“I believe the incoming Government have learnt their lessons from what the outgoing PDP Government experienced, if only they have learnt their lessons and want to do things right,in the manner things ought to be done by appointing based on merit and making sure that anybody so appointed is given the chance to prove his points and ideas and if his or her idea is not yielding the expected result is asked to resign then we may be getting it right.” He said
Relaying his experience as candidate of the African Democratic Congress,ADC in the 2019 National Assembly polls for the Ogbia Federal Constituency seat, Rex-Ogbuku mentioned that through Dickson’s imposition of his candidate for the seat in Ogbia and his subsequent declaration as winner by INEC in an election he the ADC candidate was voted massively for the Ogbia people have once again lost.
He described the House of Representatives as a place for people with the clout to attract development to their constituents,regreting that the incumbent PDP produced Ogbia Federal constituency representative is to a large extent docile,saying as a result the Ogbia people are not feeling the impacts expected of a representative.
The Legal practioner who also expressed reservations on the recent approval by the state House of Assembly the sum of 1,741,950,000b as loan for the Judiciary queried the timing of the said loan, describing it as unnecessary now that the Dickson’s administration is running to halt.
“Well I have my reservations for the loan,but as a Lawyer I think the Judiciary deserves the best. But there is suspicion that somebody asked something when you have it and you refused giving him.Why suddenly do you want to give him now that you don’t have it again.The intention of the Governor on the loan should be questioned.” Rex-Ogbuku noted.
According to him while the Governor-elect transition committee has 13 subcommittees his which is to carryout a review of all Laws passed within the period of existence of the outgoing Government and see how they have been applied by the Judiciary would work with stakeholders to ensure that these laws so passed do not impede the progress of the incoming Administration.
