Faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa State loyal to President Goodluck? Jonathan, yesterday announced the emergence of a former commandant of the National Defence College, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah as a running mate to the flag bearer of the party, Mr. Serikae Dickson for the 2012 poll.
This is just as some loyalists of Governor Timipre Sylva continued their protest against the emergence of Seriake Dickson as the flag bearer of the party, asking the authorities of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to open a new investigation into the alleged cases of fraud against the PDP candidate. A copy of the petition, which was submitted to the EFCC office in Abuja on Monday and made available to LEADERSHIP WEEKEND in Yenagoa, alleged that Dickson defrauded the state government in 2006 as the attorney-general and commissioner for justice
The petition, which was dated December 2,nd claimed that Dickson made certain financial proposals to the government in the name of the ministry and obtained over N260million but failed to spend the money as proposed.
The emergence of Jonah as running mate, LEADERSHIP WEEKEND gathered, was made possible after hours of deliberation on the five candidates put before stakeholders of the party at a meeting in Abuja.
Sources informed our correspondent that the emergence of the rear admiral, a native of Nembe and a kinsman to the embattled governor may have been a way to convince his kinsmen of the party’s sincerity and the determination of Dickson to carry them along if elected.
Jonah, who is referred to as a “home boy,” attended St Luke Primary School,Nembe; Nembe National Grammar School, before joining the defence academy. His last appointment before voluntarily retiring from the service was as the commandant, National Defence College, Abuja. He was awarded Distinguished Service Star (DSS) in 2001 and is a member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers. He has the Nigerian national honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON). He was president of the International Association of Peace Training Centres, 2008/2009.