By Ben Ogbemudia, Abuja
A former local government chairman in Bayelsa State, Donald Daunemigha, has challenged Senator Serike Dickson to a public debate on who is better qualified to represent Bayelsa West Senatorial District. Daunemigha, threw the challenge when he purchased an expression of interest and nomination form for the Bayelsa West Senatorial district of the state.
Daunemigha, who was Chairman of Ekeremor local government, said there was no way anybody would tell him that he should step down for Dickson and I will do that,” adding that the answer would be capital No.
The senatorial aspirant, who addressed journalists after obtaining the form said: “In fact, I want him to even come for a debate. There are certain issues that we should talk about. And I’m calling him out. I’m using this opportunity to call him out for a debate before the elections and before the primaries.
“ Because we have an existing zoning arrangement that is supposed to bring the senatorial seat to my local government, I was asked by a wide spectrum of the people of the local governments to run this election, and that is why I have obliged and after seeking the face of God, I decided to take this giant leap.”
When asked if he can run against a sitting senator and former governor, Daunemigha said: “I believe very strongly that power comes from God and in a democracy, it is the people that hold the power or the force of the election to put you in any office.
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“While I want to admit that yes, he is a two-time governor and a serving Senator, while I do want to admit that he has the resources, while also I want to admit that he has the so-called clout, I’d like to say that in the two years that he’s been there, we’ve watched his performance, we’ve watched his level of representation of the people and to some of us, we believe that there is nothing that he has said or did that could not be done better.”
He said people of his local government were yearning for his vying for the senatorial seat. “The people know my track record as a very young man. As council chairman, I was elected, and they know what I did. They can attest to the level of my performance and that is why most of them came out to say this is our time to produce the Senator.
“I want to ensure that in both local government areas, health care for women and children will be free from my pocket. And from my ability to attract good federal government attention, to healthcare services at that level, and to ensure that I improve on the educational level currently in the two local governments,” he said.
