EKELGA Reformation Group Accuses Sagbama of Political Domination, Urges Senator Dickson to Step Aside

Yenagoa – A political pressure group under the aegis of EKELGA Reformation Group (ERG) has issued a strong statement demanding an end to what it describes as the continued marginalization of Ekeremor in the power-sharing arrangement of Bayelsa West Senatorial District.

At a meeting held in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, members of the group, alongside concerned stakeholders, declared that Ekeremor must take its rightful turn in producing the next senator in 2027, in line with the long-standing zoning agreement between the two local government areas that make up the district – Ekeremor and Sagbama.

In a communique titled “Enough is Enough: Ekeremor Must Take Its Rightful Turn in the Senate,” and read by Barr. Cletus Ekpebide, the group outlined what it described as a blatant violation of the rotational zoning arrangement, which was originally structured to ensure fairness and equal representation in the National Assembly.

According to the group, while Sagbama has benefited immensely from key political positions, including eight years as governor, eight years as deputy governor, and an uninterrupted hold on the Senate seat since 2015, Ekeremor continues to be sidelined, despite being the economic powerhouse of the state.

“From 2012 to 2028, Sagbama would have held the Senate seat for 16 consecutive years. When added to the eight years as governor and another eight years as deputy governor, this cumulative dominance is unfair and unacceptable,” the statement read.

ERG argued that Ekeremor contributes over 50 percent of Bayelsa State’s federal revenue due to its vast petroleum deposits and deserves political inclusion at the highest level.

The group traced the breach of the zoning agreement to 2023, when Senator Henry Seriake Dickson of Sagbama, who replaced Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo after his elevation to Deputy Governor in 2020, contested and won re-election instead of stepping down to allow Ekeremor take the seat.

“This prolonged dominance amounts to political subjugation. Ekeremor is not a political colony of Sagbama. We have competent and visionary leaders who can represent Bayelsa West in the Senate with dignity and effectiveness,” the group stated.

ERG made a seven-point demand, including a call on Senator Dickson to honourably step aside in 2027 and allow the spirit of equity to prevail. The group warned that any attempt by Sagbama to retain the Senate seat beyond 2027 would fuel political tension and division.

It further called on prominent political leaders and influencers in Bayelsa and the Ijaw nation, among them Former President Goodluck Jonathan, Governor Douye Diri, Former Governor Timipre Sylva, and Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, to take steps to ensure fairness in the upcoming electoral cycle.

The group also appealed to political parties, particularly the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC), to uphold the zoning arrangement and discourage aspirants from Sagbama from contesting the Senate seat in 2027.

“Any Ekeremor politician supporting another Sagbama Senator in 2027 is a betrayer of the people. Our stand is clear: the Senate seat must return to Ekeremor,” the statement concluded.

The group ended its declaration with a strong call to action: “Justice delayed is justice denied. Ekeremor must rise and demand its rightful place. The time to restore balance in Bayelsa West is now.”

The political atmosphere in Bayelsa West is expected to gear up in the coming months as consultations and maneuverings for the 2027 general elections begin in earnest.