By Samuel Oyadongha, Yenagoa
Stakeholders from the Bayelsa East Senatorial District have endorsed the incumbent senator representing them, Senator Benson Agadaga, to run for a second term.
Leading the stakeholders, Dr. Iti Orugbani, a former Commissioner for Culture and Tourism yesterday in Yenagoa, said the endorsement was based on the federal lawmaker’s track record of good deeds and massive execution of projects across communities in the senatorial district.
Orugbani highlighted some of the projects, including landing jetties, telecommunication masts, town halls and others, noting that Agadaga’s performance has surpassed that of those who hitherto represented the oil-rich area.
Bayelsa East Senatorial District comprises Ogbia, Brass and Nembe Local Government Areas of the state.
He called on the state’s eastern political enclave to respect the 2022 zoning agreement, which guaranteed a second term for senators from the district and stressed the need for political tolerance and peace in the forthcoming 2027 polls.
He said: “In 2022, leaders and stakeholders across party lines from Bayelsa East held a meeting and altered the old single-term agreement for senators from the district. They signed that, beginning from 2023, any senator emerging from the district must serve a minimum of two terms.
“In 2023, Senator Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo, then an incumbent senator representing the district on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, was given a second-term ticket by the party, but he lost to the PDP.
“Now that the entire state is APC and the district has an APC senator in the person of Benson Agadaga from Ogbia LGA, why not also give him a second term?
“The stakeholders in 2022 changed the old political agreement because they saw that it was no longer beneficial to the district. And because it was Ogbia Local Government Area that started the old zoning arrangement by producing the first senator in 1999, I plead that Ogbia also begin the new two-term zoning agreement.”
Also speaking, Mrs. Owadaba Jokori, woman leader of the support group ‘Agadema Women’, and Comrade Ikio, Information Officer of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Central Zone, noted that the incumbent senator has done well for the district in the three years he has been in office.
They lauded the federal lawmaker for his infrastructure projects, especially the construction of landing jetties in select communities of the three local government areas of the district, and praised stakeholders for backing the lawmaker in his bid for a second term.
In his remarks, Senator Agadaga thanked the stakeholders for the confidence reposed in him and the endorsements he has recently received from constituents and admirers across political parties.
He emphasized that the call for him to become senator for the Bayelsa East Senatorial District came as a surprise, adding that he accepted the clarion call when the clamour became so loud.
His words, “I was Chief of Staff to the state governor, Senator Douye Diri, when various groups from the zone came calling on me to contest the 2023 senatorial polls.
“Ever since winning the election as a senator, I have continued to deliver on my mandate in representation, lawmaking, oversight, project execution and support for constituents when called upon. And I shall continue to do more if elected for a second term.”
Article Bayelsa East Groups back Senator Agadaga’s re-election, vow to uphold 2022 zoning greement Live On NgGossips.
