Dickson Sacks Commissioner, Others Over State Assembly Poll



The Bayelsa State governor, Hon.Seriake Dickson yesterday approved the sack of the state commissioner of sports, Chief Ebikitin Doingoli over alleged failure to secure victory for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the April 11, State Assembly election of constituency 2 of Kolokuma/Opokuma local government area of the state.

The sacked commissioner was accused of working against the PDP candidate and supporting the candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Ebiye Tarabina to emerge victorious during the Assembly poll.

The sack of the sports commissioner, which was announced on major radio stations in Bayelsa State through a statement issued and signed by the chief press secretary, Mr Daniel Iworiso- Markson, has provoked reactions among the leading members of the PDP in the state.

LEADERSHIP gathered that the decision of the state governor to sack the commissioner was based on the alleged political alliance with a rival to the present administration and the senior special assistant to the President on Domestic Affairs, Dr Waripamowei Dudafa.

Many of the kinsmen of the sacked sports commissioner insisted that the decision to work for the APGA candidate was based on a collective decision by the Opokuma people in the Kolokuma/Opokuma local government area to choose their lawmaker as against the one chosen for them by the PDP.

Governor Dickson was irked by the alleged open disloyalty and he has decided to deal with disloyal members in the party.

Confirming his sack, Chief Ebinkintin Doingoli said he also heard about his sack on the radio. “I was also surprised as you are. I did not commit any offence to have warranted my sack. But I have sent a message to Governor Dickson to thank him for giving me an opportunity to serve the state.”


Doingoli admitted that Tarabina is his cousin but exonerated himself from the loss of the PDP at the poll. According to him he had tried to persuade Tarabina to drop his political ambition but he insisted on contesting on the platform of APGA.

He said, “I heard the announcement of my sack on the radio like every other Bayelsans. I have sent a message to the governor thanking him for giving me the opportunity to serve the state. I believe it has something to do with the House of Assembly election. The APGA candidate that won in Kolokuma/ Opokuma 2, Tarabina is my cousin. The governor sent me to tell him not to contest and I went to him severally.

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Deji Sadiq, a.k.a DEJI OF LAGOS is a LASU trained Economist turned freelance journalist, a Blogger, an information strategist, a public affairs analyst and a committed activist with a passion for equal opportunities.