Ben Murray Bruce has stepped down from the Bayelsa East Senatorial race, as the first-time Senator and philanthropist was said to have stepped down for aspirants jostling to take over the seat from him based on earlier agreement of a one-term policy.
Although the seat of the Bayelsa State Governor will not be vacant till the year 2020, the sudden stepping down of Ben Murray Bruce is still not clear, as some have hinted that the powers-that-be in Bayelsa state have demanded for his replacement, to continue the rotation policy of the zone.
The Bayelsa East Senatorial zone seat is rotated among three local government of Ogbia, Nembe and Brass which are the areas that make up the zone.
According to the zoning arrangement or gentle man agreement, it is the turn of Ogbia Local Government Area to produce the next senator and an aide to the Governor one Mr. Foingha Jepthah has been tipped to replace Senator Ben Murray Bruce come 2019, even as another aspirant and House of Representatives member Dr. John Idumage is also nursing an interest for the Senatorial seat.
According to the news which broke a few minutes ago, the Senator who have been representing Bayelsa east, after winning his election in 2015, stepped down and declined his interest to recontest for the race to represent his constituency in 2019.
Ben Murray Bruce was said to have made his intention known in a letter he wrote to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday 1st October 2018.
The senatorial primary election of PDP is scheduled for Tuesday as Bayelsa state which is the state and home of former President Goodluck Jonathan who also was alleged to aware about the zoning and one term system being adopted by the Bayelsa East Senatorial zone, will hope for a free and fair primaries come Tuesday.
This decision also could possibly see Senator Ben Murray Bruce enter the race for the Bayelsa Governorship seat come 2020. But he is yet to make an official statement to the press.