Buhari’s Minister, Lokpobiri Joins Bayelsa Guber Race

Few days after stepping down as Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, has indicated interest to contest the November 16 governorship election in Bayelsa State, on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

In a statement signed by his media aide, George Oji, yesterday, he said: “He had already met President Muhammadu Buhari and intimated him of his decision to contest the governorship race in Bayelsa State on the APC platform in November.”

He added that being a minister opened his eyes to the enormous opportunities embedded in agriculture which he intends to replicate in the state by creating jobs as well as generate income, and guaranty food sufficiency.

He said: “What I have learnt in this ministry of agriculture, I never learnt in 12 years that I was at the parliament. As a senator for eight years, I never knew the potential that exists in agriculture. Now that I am trying to explore some new opportunities, I am going to make agriculture number one priority, if I have the opportunity of taking the experience I have here to my home state.”

He said his thought of being posted to Ministry of Niger Delta was dashed when President Buhari posted him to where he served.

“I was thinking that I would be posted to the Ministry of Niger Delta, but the president in his wisdom decided to send me here,” he said.