Nine contestants for the Bayelsa West senatorial seat have withdrawn from the race, leaving incumbent senator Seriake Dickson of the Peoples Democratic Party to represent the district in the general elections on February 25.
They made their announcement during a meeting with Dickson, who is running for re-election, on Thursday in Toru-Orua, Sagbama Local Government Area.
Additionally, they said that they had merged their political organizations into the Dickson Campaign Organization and were prepared to back his reelection campaign.
The nine contenders are Salo Orlando of APN, Frank Odafe of AA, Alexander Pere of ZLP, Dr. Joel Tubonimi of NNPP, Chief Ikporo of SDP, Amb. Victor Ben of BOOT, Oweifabo Ebikeme of AAC, and Ebikpolade Fuludu of ADC (APP).
Odafe, who spoke on behalf of others, claimed that their choice to withdraw from the contest in favor of the recently-retired governor of Bayelsa state was motivated by his outstanding performance there over the previous two years.
The “bold, vibrant, and articulate PDP candidate who controlled Bayelsa State for eight years,” he claimed, had a great discussion with them, and they had decided to give him all the support he would need to win the election.
The AA senatorial candidate characterized Dickson as the political figurehead in Bayelsa, a figurehead in the state and, in fact, the Ijaw nation, who brought about a great deal of improvement to the district while serving as governor.
Odafe added that it would be insulting to run against the senator in the election since he deserved all the support he could get to keep providing high-quality representation.
He declared, “We, the nine senatorial candidates representing various political parties in the upcoming senate election on February 25, 2023, have resigned in support of Senator Henry Seriake Dickson in the race for the Bayelsa West Senatorial seat.
“We will make our decision public following a meeting with Senator Henry Seriake Dickson on February 15, 2023, at his country residence in Toru-Orua, Sagbama LGA. Our choice is based on our recognition of Senator Dickson’s high caliber representation during his brief time in the National Assembly.
“We thus back him wholeheartedly and endorse him for the position of senator from Bayelsa West in the National Assembly. Following this meeting, some of us will send letters to INEC withdrawing from the race for the Senate while others have already done so.
After the meeting, Dickson addressed to reporters and expressed his gratitude for the candidates’ choice to retire in the interests of the country.
Therefore, he gave Mr. Michal Magbisa, the vice chairman of the PDP in the Senate, instructions to include all party supporters in the final stage of the election campaign in the various areas.
