From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Former president Goodluck Jonathan has denied any cold war with Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State.
Jonathan is from Ogbia, in Bayelsa State and endorsed the governor to run for a second term last year. Speculations had been rife that Jonathan and Dickson had fallen apart over the leadership crisis which engulfed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with anti-Dickson forces in Bayelsa accusing the governor of backing Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as against Senator Ahmed Makarfi while the party’s national chairmanship tussle lasted. Some party members claimed Jonathan supporting Makarfi.
The relationship was said to have further deteriorated when Dickson’s quote ‘that the six years of Jonathan’s presidency was a waste’, during the Isaac Boro Day celebration in Yenagoa, the state capital, was used by anti-Dickson elements to underline their accusations that Dickson was disloyal to the former president.
A recent letter by former special adviser to the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission ( NDDC), Mr. George Turnah, believed to be Jonathan’s godson, complaining over some road projects in the state was seen in bad taste by pro-Dickson forces.
They concluded concluded that Turnah’s offensive letter must have been endorsed by Jonathan.
However, a source close to Jonathan said he was embarrassed over reports linking him to attacks on Dickson and has distanced himself from such venture with a clear message that he would not in any way support those that wants to fight the governor.
The source added that the former president “frowns at people using his name to gain cheap popularity.”
He also said Jonathan has declared to his loyalists that he would stand by what is right, even if it hurts people around him.
“Turnah is on his own as he does not have the authority to issue statements on my behalf. I will not be party to any arrangement that will undermine the office of a governor especially that of my home state.
“I am in shock at reports of me sponsoring some media attacks against the state governor. It is purely political and I am totally not in support of such divisive actions.
“If for anything, we should support the governor’s developmental efforts,” Jonathan was said to have told his political associates.