The Governor of Bayelsa State and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have insisted that Senator Emmanuel Paulker and Mr. Waripamowei Dudafa, a domestic aide to President Goodluck Jonathan, should be punished for anti-party activities.
Paulker who won his reelection for a third term and Dudafa have been on a running battle with Dickson and the state chapter of PDP for allegedly sponsoring candidates in other political parties against PDP’s candidates.
Mr. Ebiye Tarabina, a candidate believed to have been sponsored by Dudafa in the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), defeated the PDP candidate, Mr. Ongore, to win the Kolokuma-Opokuma Constituency II House of Assembly election.
Dudafa and Paulker are close allies of President Jonathan and his wife, Dame Patience.
Irked by the development, Dickson had inaugurated a committee comprising members of his cabinet to investigate the activities of Dudafa, Paulker and other Abuja-based politicians during the concluded elections in the state.
But groups loyal to the senator faulted the committee and said it was a mere witch-haunt against persons opposed to the second term bid of Dickson.
The governor said on Friday that despite the smear campaign against him, the party had through the committee commenced investigations against Dudafa, Paulker and others who were accused of anti-party activities.
Speaking to party members at the PDP secretariat Yenagoa, Dickson said, if indicted, the senator, Dudafa and his cohorts would be expelled from the party.
He said the party would no longer treat indiscipline with kid gloves adding that the leadership of PDP was waiting for the committee’s report to wield the big stick.
“Those found culpable would be expelled from the party,” he said.
He added: “The era of indiscipline and disloyalty that has bedevilled this party in this state is over for good. People should take this message home.
“We want honest and genuine members who understand the meaning of being a party man or woman and being a party official means subordinating personal interest for group interest.
“I have come to deliver a message of hope. The state is solidly PDP. The issue of indiscipline in the next couple of days the report will be out and they will all be gone.”
He said the government, in collaboration with other stakeholders, would work to reorganise the party with a view to regaining political power at the national level in 2019.
He said that PDP remained the only well-coordinated party with a focus to deliver the dividends of democracy in the state.
Dickson flaunted the achievements of the party in the just-concluded elections, saying it won 20 out of the 22 seats declared so far for the State House of Assembly, three senatorial and the five House of Representatives’ seats.
He urged members of the party to be hopeful and trust in the party’s ability to win the two remaining constituency seats in the state House of Assembly that were declared inconclusive in the last election.
Dickson noted that the meeting was arranged to encourage PDP members not to despair in the face of the party’s defeat at the national level.
The governor promised to hold consultations with the party leadership to organise a thanksgiving service to acknowledge the role of God in the affairs of the state.
He expressed happiness that the state has been enjoying relative peace and stability since he came on board.
He also said the government was working closely with the party leadership to organise a rousing reception for president Jonathan.
He called on members to come out in their numbers to give Jonathan a heroic welcome on May 29th.
“It would be an emotional event for some of us receiving the President of the country, who is from the state,” he said.
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