Mr. Keku Godspower,a great social-political juggernaut and a prominent
philanthropist, who hails from Bolou-orua community in sagbama Local
Government area of Bayelsa State, who joined politics precisely in the
90s, when he joined politics from the ward level to the state. He said
throughout his political life, he has been a party administrator
till date. Presently, secretary Peoples Democratic Party {PDP} Bayelsa
state. The renowned political advocate highlights the political
imbroglio in Bayelsa State and other political issues with National WAVES Bayelsa State Bureau Chief, Philip Eke,
Vividly, please can you tell us what the Restoration Government is all about, how governor Seriake Dickson is turning around the state to massive construction site, and what is the secret of this great endeavour in Bayelsa State?
Well, the governor, Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson is a man you have known before. He was a commissioner of Bayelsa State who was Attorney General
precisely, even as Attorney General, that short period he created record, at the National Assembly, as house of representative member, he did very well, you are all aware, when the former president died, Alhaji Shehu Musa Yaradua, when President Goodluck Jonathan took over
power, if you can recollect what Hon. Dickson did at the National Assembly. The role he played was very pivotal. Even in his constituency. He has performed very well, he is a model administrator, if you go to Abuja to visit him at his National Assembly quarters as at that time, his residence is twenty four hours opened for visitors from Bayelsa.
He has no discrimination whatsoever as far as you are from Bayelsa, you will be virtually accommodated, you eat in the morning, afternoon and in the evening. So when he had the ambition to contest for the position of governor of Bayelsa state, the masses supported him wholeheartedly,
perhaps of his kind disposition which he won overwhelmingly, and he was called the countryman Governor. Without contradiction, the changes by Governor Dickson speak volumes. During his thank you tour, he
was well received by Bayelsans. The first Governor in the state to tour the whole state and say thank you. At Nembe where he paid the whole money for the construction of Nembe road, the first thing to happen in Bayelsa State, work is continually going on smoothly. You can now drive to Nembe with Hilux, the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa
State has test run the road to Nembe, even the senatorial district roads are on course, you can now drive to Ayama, half way to Oporoma. By the grace of God, by the end of this year, early next year southern Ijaw people would heave a sigh of relief. In the west senatorial district precisely, we know before the end of next year, we will drive to Ekeremor town from Yenagoa. You can also realize that the Niger
Delta University (NDU) road, from Tombia Junction to NDU, has been completed, before this time, you will have to spend more than one hour before you can get to NDU but now under thirty minutes, which I drove recently.
Apart from roads, the education sector the governor has given out contract through the ministry of education, innovated over hundred primary and secondary schools. The governor further boost the education sector, initiated constituency model schools in every constituency and local government model schools where boarding facilities would be in place. Some are almost at completion stages while others are ongoing. By next session, the boarding
schools would be operational. You know there is no boarding schools in Bayelsa State. Only the Federal boarding schools. Also special schools are coming up.
Other sectors impacted by governor Dickson in Bayelsa State is empowerment. The recent empowerment to women is a great strides. Even now, the empowerment has gone down to the real villages. They are also
appreciating the Governor’s developmental endeavours, in the political scene. Rumor has been curtailed drastically. There is cordial working relationship among politicians in Bayelsa State. Then the security of Bayelsa State, Bayelsa State is now the most peaceful state in Nigeria. The Governor has tremendously worked so hard in the area of
Security, Bayelsans and visitors can now enjoy night life, but before this time, there were killings here and there. Cult groups were on display openly, but now they have all vanished perhaps of the great reformation programme by government and the stringent sanction of cultists and other related offences. Occasionally there are few incidences of cultists, stealing, fighting between various cult groups. Shooting here and there is over. The peacefulness has prompted investors to come in for investment purposes.
The internal roads are also going on smoothly as you can see. Within the state capital, now you can drive to Sagbama to Ofoni, even Angalabiri from Ogobiri to Ekeremor. From Igbogene, there is express road down to Bayelsa Palm. A lot of things are going on, the governor has achieved a lot, almost every sector has been touched. Power is
not neglected, as rural electrification is going on. The gas turbine would soon be in place to enhance constant electricity supply. Places that have no electricity are now getting light. Also, NEPA light has been extended to Sagbama, but the contract is a federal one, so we
are waiting for the federal contract to be completed. Also, NEPA light has reached Amassoma, the NDU is now enjoying electricity.
Looking at the developmental strides of governor Dickson, which of the project is so dear to you and to Bayelsans?
To the common person, first is the educational sector, where new schools have been built, old ones innovated, and if boarding schools are in every local government area, and special schools are coming up, by the time all these things are completed, our children will be very comfortable, Bayelsa children have no boarding schools,
but with the restoration of government, boarding schools would provided from the next academic year. Then the other important projects are the roads. Now the dualization of these roads will be very helpful. The internal roads are well dualized more are still to be executed. You know Yenagoa was just like a village, now you can come in, before Igbogene round about, there is another express road to Onopa within the government house. Also in that axis there is construction of a bridge, which has gone very far. In crossing Epie creeks, you can see that when completed, there will be free flow of vehicular movement
within and outside the state. These are the two projects that are so precious to me and Bayelsans generally.
Recently, the emergence of the APC party in Bayelsa State, where a functional office has been established, don’t you think is a threat to the PDP in president own state, what is your take sir?
Well, APC is fully a registered party. Party by name does not work itself, human beings make up the party. It depends on the working mechanism, the potentials of it members, but talking about the APC party, most members of APC were former members of PDP that cross carpet to APC. Perhaps of the emergence of Governor Henry Seriake Dickson, as
policy demand, whenever there is change of governance, change of leadership, in the society some persons actually did not want changes to occur, you want to be in office throughout their lives, so when the changes occurs and the changes did not favour them, they formed opposition to get recognition and relevance, they run away to APC, and those in the APC in Bayelsa know that they cannot deliver. They are struggling for their daily bread, we know them.
Bayelsa is the smallest state, APC has no place. Few members are there to distract people. But PDP will never be deterred. We know ourselves, we are just like a room and a parlour” so APC can never be a threat to PDP. In fact when we go into election, most of them will come back we know. When they come back they hope to queue behind.
As a reputable party administrator over the years, what is your message to the PDP family in the state?
PDP family in Bayelsa State is one. There is no in- fighting within the party. There is love and peace since the present state exco came on board. Precisely two years, you have not heard of any friction both in the local government areas and the state that is to tell you that the party is united. The
PDP is very intact, PDP will continue to rule.
Recently, there were letters written by our leaders from left to right, I mean the letter from former president Olusegun Obasanjo and the incumbent president. What is your view of these letters and what do the two letters portend and the lesson we have learnt from the two letters?
You know, the former president, His Excellency, Olusegu Obasanjo, he likes praises, when he is on news in the headlines of papers and in the electronic media, he rejoices, because he is making popularity, like Gordon, the comedian. What he says about Obasanjo, he is very
happy, Obasanjo invited him and asked him to do another one.
The way Gordon is doing arranging those rib-cracking Jokes, Obasanjo is very happy and in the process also making more popularity, Obasanjo in making his name unforgettable, throw one bomb and hide himself, just to keep people distracted from other social, economic national
matters, is part of the beauty of politics. You know that letters was written to Mr. President how many weeks before they met at Kenya and dined with Mr. President again, so you can see that, these are things that often makes Obsanjo happy, and he is a senior elder statesman, I
don’t really think Obasanjo disrespects Mr. President. It is not
absolutely. It is part of his game plans, he did not advocate the actual down fall of Mr. president, no, he has made another historical mark, and he is happy to enable him stay more years on earth. So, we can cherish him and pray for his long life. Obasanjo is our former president. He is well respected. The lesson learnt from the two leaders, you can see that the present president Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, all this letter, there was no serious allegations, Obasanjo was a former president, when Goodluck became a president. He did not one day write open letter to Obasanjo for any
allegation, no he never, so what we are learning from them is unity.
You can see Mr. president replied the letter with maturity, it is a corrective measures because nobody is perfect. People should learn from one another and live in peace and harmony.
What message do you have for Nigerians come 2015?
Nigerians should be united and support Mr. President, who has transformed the country to an esteemed. Level of development in almost all sectors of the economy, the country has six geo-political zones, and each political zone will have the opportunity to rule. It is not for the zoning, it would have been very difficult for the minority to
rule, because, the minority region is now ruling, the ideas of war is no longer there. Allow Mr. president to rule and complete his tenure, it is rotational, later it will go to the north or to any zone that has not produced president. There will be peace in this country, what we need in this country is peace and unity.
“Must we go to war to develop” any right thinking persons will not call for a war, because the side effects are too pronounced, such as destruction of properties, massive killings among others. The west would have gone to war, when Abiola was short changed, we also know
that the west have the best universities, best roads, so they could not go to war to ravage their existence
Nigeria must be one, there should be no issues of disintegration, allow the president to complete his eight years tenure, Nigerians should shield their swords rather unite for the corporate wellbeing of the country in which we all belong.
