Seriake Dickson denies rift with Jonathan over successor

Bayesla State Governor, Seriake Dickson

Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has denied rumours of a rift between him and former President Goodluck Jonathan over his successor in the state.

The governor said Mr Jonathan remains his political leader as the state heads to the polls November 16.

In a radio broadcast Sunday night in Yenagoa monitored by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr Dickson said the rumours were the work of mischief-makers.

“I do not want to say much but those of them sowing the seed of discord were not there when I fought battles for the former President,” he said.

“I told him then that the election was our own and those who wanted to impose a successor on me are unfair.

“I will reveal more in my memoirs when I leave office and people will have the details.”

On the choice of Senator Douye Diri as candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the governorship poll, Dickson urged the people of the state to keep faith with the party by electing its candidate as his successor.

He noted that voting against the PDP would amount to betrayal of trust to PDP faithful nationwide.

He said that members of the party who supported Jonathan to become president would be disappointed if the people of Bayelsa dumped PDP for the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).