Jonathan, Dickson in strange romance ahead of guber poll

TRACKING >>The sight of former President Goodluck Jonathan and Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson walking, sitting and laughing together in a state function at the weekend surprised many onlookers.

Most people described the romance between the two political leaders ahead of the November governorship election as strange following reports hitherto suggesting that the duo were not in good terms.

Jonathan hardly attended state functions. He was conspicuously absent in important state functions including ceremonies for inauguration of critical projects, which had former Head of State, Yakubu Gowon and former President Olusegun Obasanjo in attendance.

Besides, Dickson’s and Jonathan’s paths hardly crossed in public as each of them would either send representative or find cogent reason to be absent in events that could bring them together.

Speculations of frosty political relationship between the duo became rife at the buildup to the last general elections especially after the primary elections that produced the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The duo were said to have worked in cross purposes with Jonathan and his foot soldiers reportedly working against the candidates of the PDP in Ogbia, his local government area, following misgivings that Dickson frustrated Jonathan’s preferred aspirants at the primaries.

But the atmosphere at the launching of the Bayelsa Education Development Trust Fund at the Banquet Hall, Yenagoa, on Friday betrayed all the speculations as the two leaders worked harmoniously throughout the programme.

Jonathan and Dickson including the governor’s wife sat together, constantly engaged in whispering and cooperated with each other.

In fact, Jonathan stunned the guests when he praised Dickson’s achievements in the educational sector. A day before the event, Jonathan in another function organised by Ijaw elders in search of peaceful election, also poured encomiums on Dickson.

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In his goodwill message at the launch of the fund, Jonathan said: “Let me just say that I appreciate what the governor and government of Bayelsa state is doing regarding education and we all know, and I tell people that the only way you can liberate people, you can uplift people is through education.

“Only on Wednesday when our elders, from Lagos came up with a programme, though our governor was not there himself, the deputy governor was there. I did mention that we must all commend what the state Governor was doing regarding education.

“The governor has gone much higher than we projected in 2006 in terms of the expansion of educational web. I have to thank you sincerely and for today, for this initiative because most problems we have in governance, is to come up with a good idea but how will that endure in most cases, immediately you leave the system collapses.

“By setting up a board, established by law for the educational development trust fund , he has made this to endure beyond his eight and that really makes me very happy, I have two meetings with the board and I promised that even my foundation as little as we are will continue to partner with this trust fund board”.

Dickson after speaking had earlier invited Jonathan to the podium to make his remarks and stood beside the former President throughout his speech.

Jonathan also accepted an appointment from the governor to serve as an Honorary Special Adviser to the board on fund donations and promised to use his contacts to attract funds to the board.

Many people, however, believe that unfolding events in the buildup to the November governorship election especially in the PDP will determine whether the cordial relationship between Jonathan and Dickson will last beyond the launch of the trust fund.