When what was playing out in CRS was brought to Jonathan’s notice, the source say, he was quick to recall and mention to close party men and women from the state that while he was struggling to be deputy governor of Bayelsa state, Imoke was part of those who made decisions for the party. He therefore reckoned that the CR governor had to be protected, respected and not shamed, throwing his weight behind Imoke and further playing a crucial role in ensuring that Agba pursues his gubernatorial ambition no further.
For the National Assembly elections for Yakurr/Abi Federal Constituency that pitched returnee member Bassey Eko Ewa and Imoke’s former Chief of Staff, Alex Egbona, the source maintains that Imoke threw his weight behind Ewa because Ewa who had already played himself out of the Ndoma-Egba/Agba coalition, smartly ran to Imoke and stood by him, knowing the elections were clearly his last bite at the political cherry. Egbona on the other hand, after ‘losing’ the primaries in the PDP, jumped boat to the Labour Party, teaming up with pro-Ndoma-Egba politicians and incurring Imoke’s wrath. “I tell you sincerely, the election for the Yakurr/Abi House of Reps seat was between Alex Egbona and Liyel Imoke. Bassey Ewa just benefitted from a political tussle Imoke won and the case is as clear as this. Don’t attempt to forget that Imoke vigorously campaigned against Egbona in Abi and even had
audience with Egbona’s political anchormen in Yakurr, pleading that they dump the Egbona project and most of them became cowed.”, the source said.
For now, political watchers in the state believe that after May 29, 2015 when APC takes over at the centre, the courts will be better placed to treat electoral petitions on merit and maybe, just maybe, a person or two may have their pound of flesh in Imoke’s absence.
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