The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has produced its first ever lawmaker in the country as the tribunal appeal court in Bayelsa State sacked the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the election in Ogbia Constituency III.
The tribunal appeal cancelled the election in Wards 6, 7 and 9 in Ogbia III thereby sacking PDP’s Naomi Ogoli which gifted Gabriel Ogbara of the ADC the opportunity to represent the area at the Bayelsa State House of Assembly for the next four years.
He is only the third member of the state House of Assembly who is not of the PDP as the APC and APGA also have a seat each.
Speaking to BusinessDay at Elebele near Yenagoa on his emergence, Ogbara attributed it to God and pledged to respect the election promises he made to the people prior to the poll.
He assured that he will keep his promise to pay the fees of students in the area for the Joint Matriculation Examinations as well as West African Senior School Certificate Examinations should the state government fail to do so.
The former secretary to Ogbia Local Government Council also promised to support widows and the elderly in the area at quarterly intervals with stipends saying he intends to carry everybody along.
He stated his determination to continue to contribute to the well being of his constituents while assuring that should he receive constituency funds, he will deploy same for the good of the area.
On his representation at the state legislature, Ogbara explained that he will work with the leadership but ruled out cross carpeting to the ruling PDP in the state as it will do his party a huge disservice.
According to him, it was a divine mandate for him to emerge from the ADC which is one of the least known political parties in the country and it is his desire to continue to project the ideals of the party in the house.
Ogbara who hails from Elebele in Ogbia Local Government Area explained that after being schemed out during the PDP primaries, he decided to pick the nomination form of the APC knowing fully well that he was the most popular candidate for the seat.
However, when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) returned Ogoli, he went to the election petition tribunal knowing that he had a genuine case and he has been vindicated by the judgment.
