Four things to know about Bayelsa election

Bayelsa, one of the six states in the south-south region, is set to go through another governorship election four years after Seriake Dickson was elected governor of the state for a second term.

The oil-rich state, which was carved out of Rivers in October 1996, has more than two million inhabitants spread across eight local governments areas.

Bayelsa operates an off-cycle vote owing to a legal tussle in 2008 which altered the electoral calendar.

Like in Kogi, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has scheduled the governorship election in Bayelsa for November 16.

Here are five things to note about the election in the oil-rich state.

125% INCREASE IN CONTESTING CANDIDATES 

In the governorship election of December 2015, only 20 candidates featured. But in the forthcoming poll, there is a 125% increase in the number of contestants because 45 political parties have fielded candidates.

The candidates will contest for votes at 1,806 polling units in 105 wards spread across Nembe, Ogbia, Ekeremor, Brass, Sagbama, Yenegoa, Kolokuma/Opokuma and Southern Ijaw local government areas.

THREE FEMALE GOVERNORSHIP CANDIDATES

Unlike in the previous election which was male-dominated for both governorship and deputy governorship positions, the 2019 election features three female governorship candidates and 14 deputy governorship contestants.

The female governorship candidates are Seiyefa Eches of DPC, Oguara Nengimonyo of DPP, and Clement Azibanagbal of MPN. And the deputy governorship candidates are Nathaniel Abule, AAC; Tubo Ebitiene, ADP; Weleke Enebiwaikumo, APA; Egbe Pamela, APGA; Victory Ishie, CAP; Keremah Mercy-George, FRESH; Ato Alajiki, HDP; Inenegha Amade, NPC; Bipeledei Ayibaketekeme, PDM; Alokpa Memimiegha, PPP; Obuma Enuma, PRP; Paul Frankebona, UDP; Millicent Brian, UPC; Seibokuro James, UPP.

No woman has been elected as governor or deputy governor in Bayelsa.

Also, among the 42 male candidates in the poll, 7% are between the age of 30 and 35; 53% fall into the 36 to 45 age category, while 16% are over the age of 55.

PDP HAS WON ALL GOVERNORSHIP ELECTIONS IN BAYELSA SINCE 1999

Bayelsa is a stronghold of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The party has held the governorship seat in the state since 1999.

The governors of the state since the beginning of the fourth republic are Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, May 1999 – December 2005; Goodluck Jonathan, December 2005 – May 2007; Timipre Sylva, May 2007 – April 2008; Werinipre Seibarugo, April 2008 – May 2008; Timipre Sylva, May 2008 – January 2012; Nestor Binabo, January 2012 – February 2012; Seriake Dickson, incumbent, February 2012 – to date.

A TWO-HORSE RACE

The election has been said to be a two-horse race between Douye Diri of the PDP and David Lyon of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Although the APC has never won a governorship election in the state, there are suggestions that it could break the PDP’s 20-year record.

The APC pulled an impressive performance in the 2019 general election as it polled over 35% of votes in the state. It also won a senatorial seat, two seats at the house of representatives and four seats in the state house of assembly.

The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) in its report entitled, “The Godson Turned Godfather: Governor Dickson; Bayelsa’s 2019 Election”, said the APC now has its eyes on the governorship seat, having prepared to wrestle the PDP in the poll.

“The APC faces a tough task to win in a state that has been the exclusive preserve of the PDP since the return to democracy in 1999. However, there are signs that it might have a chance of breaking that tradition in November. In the 2019 presidential election, the APC won 118,821 votes; a huge increase on the 5,194 it won in 2015,” the report read.

“The growing popularity of APC in the state is coupled with the party’s determination to wrestle power from a state that has traditionally been a PDP stronghold means a fierce contest is expected. Having won a senatorial seat, two seats at the House of Representatives and four seats in the State House of Assembly in the last general elections, the APC now has its sight set on the governorship.”