By Francis Dufugha, Yenagoa
The political landscape in Bayelsa State has entered a new phase ahead of the 2027 general elections following the release of candidates’ particulars by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), with three prominent members of the state’s National Assembly delegation—Hon. Mitema Obordor, Hon. Marie Enenimiete Ebikake and Hon. Fred Agbedi—conspicuously absent from the list under the constituencies they currently represent.
The development is generating fresh political calculations across the state, particularly within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which has dominated Bayelsa politics for several years.
The three lawmakers are among the five members of the House of Representatives elected from Bayelsa State in 2023 on the PDP platform. INEC’s records show that Ebikake represents Brass/Nembe, Agbedi represents Ekeremor/Sagbama, while Obordor represents Ogbia Federal Constituency.
Their current political positions, however, have changed considerably ahead of the 2027 contest.
Obordor, Ebikake move to SDP
Obordor and Ebikake have emerged as key figures in the growing realignment outside the PDP.
Recent reports indicate that Ebikake has emerged as the Social Democratic Party’s candidate for the Bayelsa East Senatorial District, while Obordor has emerged as the SDP candidate for Ogbia Federal Constituency.
The development effectively changes the political equation in Bayelsa East and Ogbia, where the PDP has traditionally enjoyed substantial electoral influence.
Obordor’s move is particularly significant because he is seeking to retain his Ogbia Federal Constituency seat, but now under a different political platform.
The Ogbia lawmaker was elected to the House in 2023 on the PDP ticket. INEC’s official record of members-elect listed him as the PDP representative for Ogbia.
Ebikake’s political journey is equally notable.
She defeated the then incumbent APC lawmaker, Israel Sunny-Goli, in the 2023 election to win the Brass/Nembe Federal Constituency seat after losing the same contest to him in 2019.
Her reported decision to seek the Bayelsa East Senate seat on the SDP platform therefore sets the stage for another major political contest in the district.
Agbedi’s Senate ambition
For Agbedi, the situation is different.
The veteran lawmaker has openly declared his intention to leave the House of Representatives for the Senate, seeking the Bayelsa West Senatorial District seat.
Agbedi recently confirmed that he obtained the PDP nomination form and was screened by the party’s committee from Abuja. He said he was cleared to contest the Senate election.
The proposed move has already transformed the Bayelsa West contest into one of the most closely watched political battles in the state.
Former Governor Seriake Dickson, now a leading figure in the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), is also associated with the Bayelsa West senatorial contest, setting up a potential confrontation between two experienced politicians with deep roots in the district.
Agbedi is not a newcomer to Bayelsa politics. He has represented the Ekeremor/Sagbama Federal Constituency for several years and is regarded as one of the state’s most experienced legislators. Vanguard reported that he has served in the National Assembly for more than a decade and currently plays a prominent role in the PDP caucus.
PDP’s internal crisis
The movement of prominent lawmakers away from their previous electoral positions comes against the background of a wider crisis and realignment within the PDP.
Bayelsa has historically been regarded as one of the PDP’s strongest political territories. But the emergence of new political alliances, defections and opposition platforms has complicated the party’s once-dominant position.
The reported emergence of Obordor and Ebikake under the SDP is therefore more than a change of party symbol. It could potentially split established PDP voting blocs and force the ruling party to defend constituencies it previously regarded as relatively secure.
Political observers believe the development could also affect the calculations of other parties, particularly the APC, SDP and NDC, as they seek to exploit divisions within the PDP.
Diri’s political calculation
Governor Douye Diri remains central to the 2027 political equation in Bayelsa, although there will be no governorship election in the state in 2027 because the state operates a staggered electoral cycle.
INEC’s timetable provides for governorship elections in 28 states in 2027, and Bayelsa is not among them. The state’s next governorship election is therefore outside the 2027 governorship cycle.
This means that the major political battle in Bayelsa in 2027 will revolve largely around the presidential and National Assembly elections.
Consequently, the political machinery of the major parties is expected to concentrate on the three senatorial districts and the five federal constituencies.
The outcome will also have implications for the balance of political power ahead of the next Bayelsa governorship election.
Bayelsa West becomes a major battleground
The Bayelsa West senatorial race is already attracting considerable attention because of the expected clash between established political structures.
Agbedi’s ambition has brought the contest into sharper focus, while Dickson’s involvement through the NDC has introduced another powerful political bloc.
Leadership reported that the battle for Bayelsa West has intensified over zoning, party realignment and defections, with Agbedi’s declaration adding another dimension to the contest.
The district covers Sagbama and Ekeremor, areas with strong political histories and significant influence in the state’s political calculations.
What the new alignment means
The absence of Obordor, Ebikake and Agbedi from their previous PDP positions on the emerging 2027 political map does not necessarily mean that the three politicians are out of the election.
Rather, their movements demonstrate how dramatically the political configuration is changing.
Obordor is reported to be seeking another term in the House under the SDP.
Ebikake is reported to be moving from the House of Representatives to the Senate under the SDP.
Agbedi is seeking to move from the House to the Senate, with his political ambition centred on Bayelsa West.
The three cases therefore represent three different dimensions of the 2027 contest: party realignment, legislative advancement and the struggle for political control of the senatorial districts.
For the PDP, the developments raise questions about whether it can retain its traditional dominance in Bayelsa amid internal disagreements and the emergence of rival political platforms.
For the opposition parties, the movements provide an opportunity to attract experienced politicians and challenge the PDP’s established structures.
With the presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled as part of the 2027 electoral cycle, Bayelsa is set for a contest that could be far more competitive than previous elections.
What happens between now and election day will depend largely on party negotiations, final candidate lists, political alliances and the ability of the various camps to mobilise voters across the state’s eight local government areas.
For now, the message from the emerging political configuration is clear: Bayelsa’s 2027 election is no longer simply a PDP-versus-APC contest. New alliances and old political heavyweights are converging to produce one of the most intriguing National Assembly battles the state has witnessed in recent years.
Important editorial note: I deliberately used “reported” where the current SDP candidacies are concerned, because the strongest sources I found are recent reports rather than a directly searchable INEC Bayelsa candidate document. INEC’s official 2023 records do confirm that all three were PDP National Assembly members, while recent reporting documents their 2027 political movements.
About Author
