Ahead of Tuesday’s primary election of the Peoples Democratic Party in Bayelsa State, Senator Ben Murray-Bruce has withdrawn his ambition to return to the Senate for a second term in 2019.
The Senator, popularly known by his sobriquet ‘Commonsense’ Senator abandoned his ambition to represent the Bayelsa East Senatorial District following the alleged widespread rejection of his candidature by the stakeholders of the district.
In a letter written on the eve of the senatorial primary of the PDP, Murray-Bruce said his decision to withdraw his ambition was due to a rotational arrangement existing among the three local governments that make up the Bayelsa East.
The three LGAs are Brass, Nembe and Ogbia. Murray-Bruce is from Brass area of the district.
Murray-Bruce thanked his district for giving him the opportunity to serve.
The letter read in part, “I thank God and the good people of Brass, Bayelsa East Senatorial District who offered me the golden opportunity four years ago to represent them and the state in the Senate, Nigeria’s highest lawmaking chamber.
“It is without doubt that I have tried to discharge my duties as a legislator and representative of my people creditably to the best of my ability so far.
“My voice has been very loud on the issues that matter to our people and our country at all times.
“My support to our party, my people and state government is unquestionable. I am humbled that the national leadership of my party supported by the state chapter in appreciation of my efforts offered to support my reelection to the Senate to continue my service.
“I have also intensified consultations in the last couple of weeks in the course of which I have come to realise an existing local rotational arrangement of over 20 years beginning with the late Great Chief Melford Okilo, by which arrangement the Senatorial seat rotates per local government area among the three councils for four years in the Senatorial District.
“Even with the support of my party at the National and state levels with the full backing of my state government and leadership, as a man of honour interested in the well being of my people, I hereby announce my withdrawal from the Senatorial race.
“I do not want whatever reason to appear to have used my privileged position and influence to do anything that other than the well-being and the stability and the good of the people.
“I am in all of these for the people, not for my self.
“Once again, I thank the former President, Dr. Goodluck Ebelo Jonathan, the National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, my colleagues in the Senate and Governor of Bayelsa State, the Honourable Henry Seriake Dickson for their support and encouragement.
“I also thank the leadership of my Senatorial District and state, for being there for me.”
