“I NEVER BETRAYED LOKPOBIRI, RATHER I INHERITED HIS POLITICAL ENEMIES!” – WAD
This article is SPONSORED. Therefore, the opinions and views expressed are that of the author.
I, Hon. Wilson Ayakpo Dauyegha wish to correct the deliberate misleading narrative circulating in Bayelsa State and beyond that I betrayed Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri before the 2019 Governorship Election in Bayelsa State. It is expedient that I address these in-accuracies and provide clarity on the matter.
The pivotal role Sen. Lokpobiri played in my political voyage into the Bayelsa State 6th House of Assembly cannot be over emphasized. Apart from the huge funds I expended in the Election, Sen. Lokpobiri also contributed immensely in my victory at the Polls. That I acknowledge and I am eternally grateful to him for that.
As a sign of gratitude to Sen. Lokpobiri, I remained loyal to him and took actions that were beneficial to his political interest. Prior to the All Progressive Congress (APC) Primary Elections that produced Chief David Lyon as the Party Flagbearer I was rooting for Sen. Lokpobiri to emerge as the Party’s flag bearer but as God would have it, Chief David Lyon emerged. To show that I was loyal to Sen. Lokpobiri, I went as far as rejecting the party’s decision on direct primaries as against Indirect primaries preferred by Senator Lokpobiri at that instance. What was more? I went as far as the VIP Lounge of the Port Harcourt International Airport and accosted party representatives from the national and tore the sheets. Not only that, I went as far as confronting the most successful Party Chairman APC has produced in Bayelsa State in the person of Hon. Jotham Amos on this matter. Some of these actions I took due to my support of Senator Lokpobiri, I regret till date as they made me inherit some political enemies of Sen. Lokpobiri.
After the altercation with the then State Party Chairman of APC, I received threats from many quarters, particularly from Hon. Israel Sunny-Goli, the former Member House of Representatives, representing Nembe/ Brass Federal Constituency. Before Political Campaigns started, I was persuaded by many high ranking members of APC both at the National and State Levels on the need to work for the Party in the Governorship Elections. High Chief Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo aka Tompolo also called me in this regard.
So I decided to heed to the calls for me to work for the success of APC in the Governorship Elections. Before accepting to work for the good of the Party I went to see Sen. Lokpobiri at his Abuja residence, and told him of my decision to work in the interest of the Party in line with the doctrine of Party Supremacy where the Party’s interest, decisions and authority take precedence over individual interests. I said to him in these exact words:
“Sir, since you are in court in a Pre-Election matter, working for the Party to win the elections, would be a win-win situation for you, because if I work for the Party and it wins the election, if the Court gives judgment in your favour that you are the valid APC Candidate, you will be the Governor of Bayelsa State and it is still a win-win situation for you.”
I was utterly vilified and called unprintable names by Sen. Lokpobiri. He retorted in anger:
“the David Lyon you have decided to support, in a civilized society can he, David Lyon buckle my Shoes?”
Interestingly as it seems currently, those Political Enemies I made just to protect Sen. Lokpobiri’s political interests are now his Allies – the like of Chief David Lyon, Hon. Israel Sunny-Goli. It is on record that I was demoted from my earlier post of Minority Leader of the Bayelsa 6th Assembly to Deputy Minority Leader, due to my staunch support of Senator Lokpobiri and the steps I took to stand against oppositions to his gubernatorial ambition in that 2019 election.
The question that begs the answer is that:
“Does working for the interest of the party and re-alignment of political interest due to supremacy amount to betrayal?” I do not think so.
Just as I will never in my life, wear Sen. Lokpobiri the toga of betrayal when in was Chief Ndutimi Alaibe’s camp in 2007 to clinch the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) ticket to the Senate. And He later re-aligned and left Chief Ndutimi Alaibe for Sylva in 2011. The same scenario played out when His Excellency, Chief Timipre Marlin Sylva, on a platter of gold, assisted Senator Lokpobiri to secure the 2nd term Senate ticket in 2011 against His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Peremobowei Ebebi and also influenced his Ministerial appointment in Former President Muhammed Buhari’s Cabinet as Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development. It is common knowledge that, From 2019 till date Sen. Lokpobiri has left Chief Sylva’s political camp.
I encourage everyone to look beyond the unsubstantiated allegations against my person and evaluate the evidence I have stated here.
Finally, as an APC member, I make bold to state that I never betrayed Sen. Lokpobiri, I only stood and worked for the success of the party and if Sen. Lokpobiri, or any other credible and sellable candidate, becomes the flag bearer of the party in the next Governorship Elections, I will still fight for the good fortunes of the party as the party is supreme.
SIGNED:
_________________________
HON. WILSON AYAKPO DAUYEGHA
FORMER MEMBER,
BAYELSA STATE 6th HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY.
