- Safiu Kehinde
Bayelsa State lawmaker, Sen. Seriake Dickson, has disclosed how he introduced late Deputy Governor of the state, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpor to politics.
The lawmaker and former governor of Bayelsa made this known in a glowing tribute shared on his X handle on Monday.
Dickson recounted his political journey alongside Ewhrudjakpor with an old group picture containing himself, the late deputy governor, and two other founding members of the now defunct political party, the Nigerian Youth Democratic Alliance.
Dickson disclosed that the picture was taken when their party was invited for a meeting by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) following the lifting of the ban on political activities in 1998.
He further recounted how Ewhrudjakpor had strongly supported him in the establishment Bayelsa Progressives Movement (BPM) in 2000 ahead of his governorship campaign in 2003.
The group, according to Dickson, formed the core of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in the state.
The former Bayelsa governor described the late deputy governor as an irreplaceable friend he will sorely miss.
The statement read; “This morning, I saw some pictures which brought back memories of when I was trying to set up a youth political movement. In the picture, we had just finished attending a meeting of the Nigerian Youth Democratic Alliance, which I set up, when the ban on political activities was lifted in 1998 by the Gen. Abdulsalami government.
“Justice Ephraim Akpata, first INEC Chairman, had called for the first meeting of political associations, and we had gone to represent our movement—the Nigerian Youth Democratic Alliance.
“The group was made of young Nigerian professionals, with E-Lawrenzi manning the Secretariat with the files in his hands.
“Beside me was Mohammed Wakil, who became House Leader in 1999 and later a Minister of State for Power under President Jonathan on my recommendation.
“To the extreme left is Alh. Mai Sheriff, the younger brother to my friend, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff; and from then on, I politicised E-Lawrenzi, and he blossomed beyond everyone’s imagination—ever resourceful, brilliant, hardworking, selfless, humble, principled and loyal, and he shared himself and everything with everyone.
“He was by my side when I set up the Bayelsa Progressives Movement (BPM) in 2000, preparing for me to run for governor in 2003.
“Our association formed the core of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in Bayelsa, and from there to the ANPP, before finally joining the PDP.
“His Excellency Lawrence Ewhrudjakpor (PhD.), Senator, Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, and Knight of the Catholic church, you will be greatly missed. Simply irreplaceable!”