Unlike the situation in Aso Rock where the incumbent, President Bola Tinubu, is poised for a ride back to Aso Villa, Bayelsa State is on the cusp of activating her long respected principle of rotation among the senatorial zones.
From the birth of the Fourth Republic, the state has been able to institute a rotational tradition that has engendered harmony and fairness among the component local government areas in senatorial districts. However, that applies mainly to other levels of public office, save Creek Haven, official home of the governor of the state. Since the creation of Bayelsa State on October 1, 1996, all the three senatorial zones have had a shot at Creek Haven. But unlike Bayelsa West and Bayelsa Central which have produced a governor once each, Bayelsa East has had the distinction of occupying the seat two times and even a President in Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.
Both President Jonathan and Chief Timipre Sylva are from Bayelsa State, making it implausible for them to have an unprecedented third shot.
A Stellar Cast
Bayelsa State is not short of quality men and women to creditably gun for Creek Haven. Despite the conveyor belt of eminently qualified people, the founding fathers of Bayelsa State espoused and enshrined the unwritten rule of equity and fairness even at Senatorial level where the seat rotates after every term among the local government areas and communities.
From Bayelsa East comes Dr. Sam Ogbuku who is quietly reshaping the Niger Delta landscape as the Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). Chief Sylva who was governor for only one time is entitled to go for a second and final term.
However, coming from the same Bayelsa East, it will be a classic case of a titanic battle between a political father and son. Such contest looks unlikely, however, as the zone may not be favoured this time, having already produced two previous occupants of Creek Haven.
Senator Seriake Dickson and Senator Douye Diri are from Bayelsa West and Central respectively. While Dickson is carving a niché for himself as an emerging credible voice for the Niger Delta in the Senate, Douye is looking forward to a deserved future after an eventful two terms. But being from Bayelsa Central senatorial district, he cannot possibly be succeeded by someone who shares the same zone. This paved the way for a candidate from Bayelsa West where Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of Petroleum Resources (Oil) hails from. A pioneer Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, he comes with a rich pedigree in public service.
The man, Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri
Senator Heineken Lokpobiri is a two-term senator in the upper legislative chamber. His career spans both the private and public sectors. He served as a Pupil Counsel during his National Youth Service (NYSC) scheme at the Badagry Local Government Council in Lagos. From 1999 to 2003, he was a member of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, representing Ekeremor Constituency II and serving as Speaker of the House from 1999 to 2001.
Subsequently, he worked as the Principal Legal Director at Lokpobiri & Co (Legal Practitioners and Consultants) in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, from 2003 to 2007. Between 2007 and 2015, Senator Lokpobiri served as a member of the National Assembly, representing Bayelsa West in the 6th and 7th National Assembly. During his tenure in the Senate, he held the position of Chairman of the Committees on Water Resources, and Sports and Social Development; and was a member of various committees, including those on Niger Delta and Petroleum (Down Stream). He was also recognized for sponsoring several bills and motions during his time in the Senate.Born on March 3, 1967, Lokpobiri hails from Ekeremor Local Government Area. He completed his Senior School Certificate at Government Secondary School Borokiri, Port Harcourt, and then pursued a Bachelor of Law degree (LL.B) at the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt (Now Rivers State University).
On graduation, he proceeded to Nigerian Law School, Victoria Island, Lagos, where he obtained his Qualifying Certificate and Certificate of Call to the Bar as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. Driven by a thirst for knowledge, he furthered his education at the Leeds Metropolitan University in the United Kingdom, earning a Masters in Law (LLM) in 2012 and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) in 2015.
In 2015, Senator Lokpobiri was appointed Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, a role he held until the dissolution of the cabinet in 2019. In August 2023, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu appointed him as the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil).
Senator Lokpobiri is the recipient of multiple awards and recognitions and has authored several publications during his career.
And as a team player, he believes so much on the strength and potentials of the younger generation.
The stakes are high given the calibre of the cast of leaders in the running. But this is where Lokpobiri pulls ahead of the pack. Within political circles, he has long built the reputation of being very reliable and trustworthy. As a leader that keeps to his promise, Lokpobiri values relationships, friendship and brotherhood, virtues that are not high in the CV of many political actors.
And as a team player, he believes so much on the strength and potentials of the younger generation. Said a longstanding associate of the Minister: “He believes in the rapid growth and development of Bayelsa State and the Ijaw Nation. The people of Bayelsa State know that of him and are yearning for him to go for it.”