BRM decries political exclusion of Bayelsa East, Yenagoa
The Bayelsa Rescue Movement (BRM) has accused the administration of Governor Douye Diri of politically marginalising Bayelsa East Senatorial District and parts of Yenagoa Local Government Area in the distribution of political appointments.
The group said the situation was creating a disturbing pattern of exclusion from key positions of political influence in the state government and the leadership structure of the ruling political party.
*Governor Diri
Nathan Tamarapreye, Yenagoa
The Bayelsa Rescue Movement (BRM) has accused the administration of Governor Douye Diri of politically marginalising Bayelsa East Senatorial District and parts of Yenagoa Local Government Area in the distribution of political appointments.
The group said the situation was creating a disturbing pattern of exclusion from key positions of political influence in the state government and the leadership structure of the ruling political party.
In a statement issued by its Publicity Secretary, Kalas Agai Nimitenbofa, the BRM said Brass, Ogbia and Nembe local government areas, which make up Bayelsa East, as well as Yenagoa Local Government, had contributed significantly to the economic and political development of the state.
It urged Diri to urgently review the political arrangement and ensure broader representation across the state.
The group said the demand was not for political patronage but for fairness, equity, inclusion and a sense of belonging among Bayelsans.
“This is not a demand for political patronage. It is a demand for fairness, inclusion, equity and a sense of belonging for every Bayelsan.
“Bayelsa belongs to all of us. No senatorial district, local government area, community or group of citizens should be made to feel that it has been excluded from the affairs of the state or denied a meaningful place at the table where decisions affecting their future are made,” it said.
The BRM expressed concern over what it described as the concentration of critical political responsibilities in particular senatorial districts.
It warned that the state government should not be perceived as the preserve of any individual, family, political tendency or geographical bloc, but as an institution established to serve all citizens.
According to the group, the continued clustering of major appointments and political positions in certain areas could create a perception of exclusion and undermine public confidence in equal citizenship.
The BRM recalled that Diri’s first term was characterised by what it described as a more inclusive political arrangement but alleged that a political imbalance had emerged in the distribution of major appointments during his second term.
“Bayelsa must not become a state where some citizens are regarded as ‘core’ and others as ‘non-core’ based on language, geography, political connection or proximity to power,” the statement said.
The group also argued that Bayelsa East remained central to the state’s economic activities, while Yenagoa, as the political and administrative capital, played a critical role in governance and development.
“Bayelsa East remains central to the state’s economic life, while Yenagoa is the political and administrative capital. Their contributions to the development, revenue generation, commerce and overall wellbeing of Bayelsa cannot be ignored when political responsibilities are being distributed,” it said.
The BRM therefore called on Governor Diri to review the existing political arrangement and take deliberate steps to promote fairness and inclusiveness in the composition of government and the political leadership of the state.
It stressed that its position was aimed at preventing division rather than creating it.
“This is not about creating division. It is about preventing division. This is not about demanding that every position be shared according to a rigid formula.
“It is about ensuring that every part of Bayelsa has a genuine sense of belonging and reasonable access to the processes through which decisions affecting the people are made,” the group said.
