Dickson emerges PDP's gov candidate, other aspirants kick

Bayelsa State Governor, Chief Seriake Dickson, has emerged as the sole candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state.
His emergence, it was learnt, followed the disqualification of the governor's two other contenders for the governorship ticket by the party's zonal screening committee.
It was gathered that the disqualified aspirants were the senator representing Bayelsa-Central senatorial district, Senator Emmanuel Paulker; and a former chairmen of Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area, Chief Ebikintin Diongoli.

Reasons for their disqualification have yet to be ascertained but they were said to be disqualified on Saturday during their screening at the party's zonal office in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Confirming the successful screening of Dickson, the state Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Osom Makbere, said he was not aware of the reasons for the disqualifications.
The spokesman, said, "All I know is that Governor Dickson was successfully screened. However, I am not aware of the statuses of Senator Emmanuel Paulker and Ebinkintin Diongoli.
"I only heard they were disqualified and I have not bothered to seek the reasons. For me, those matters are inconsequential. The screening committee knew why they disqualified them."
When asked whether there will still be primary since Dickson has emerged as the only contestant in the PDP, Makbere said there would be a primary.
"There will still be a primary. The fact that only one candidate registered for an exam or one person is qualified for an interview does not mean the interview or exam won't go on. The party will still need to assess the intelligent quotient of their candidate," Makbere said.
It was learnt that Paulker and Diongoli were not favourably disposed to their disqualification as they were said to have filed an appeal before the party's appeal panel.
Sources close to Paulker and Diongoli said the reasons for their disqualifications were not disclosed.
An unconfirmed report hinted that former President Goodluck Jonathan and other leaders of the party agreed to support Dickson and make him the candidate of the party.
Also, a stalwart of the PDP in the state, who pleaded anonymity, claimed that the instruction from Jonathan was not for the disqualification of other candidates.
"Jonathan told the party that there was no need for a rancorous governorship primary. His position was based on the fact that the party had gone through trying periods of intra-party wrangling, divisions and defections of some members.
"The former President wants the party to unite behind the state governor against the candidate produced by the All Progressives Congress. His only concern is for us to be stronger and win the December 5 election by a landslide," the source said