Agbedi Yeitiemone

Frederick Yeitiemone Agbedi is an educationist and politician from Nigeria’s oil-rich Bayelsa State, one of its founding fathers.

He was part of a high-powered delegation of Ijaws that lobbied the Nbanefo Panel for state creation during regional agitations in Nigeria.

A ranking member of the House of Representatives, Agbedi represents Sagbama/Ek. He served as Bayelsa State PDP chairman under Goodluck Jonathan’s tenure until 2007.

In 2011 and 2019, he unsuccessfully sought to become governor of Bayelsa State, despite his prominence in the state’s political landscape.

Born in Aghoro (Ekeremor LGA), Agbedi attended local schools before earning a Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) in English and History from Warri College of Education and later a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) in English from the University of Port Harcourt. He also holds an M.Sc in Public Administration.

As a teacher, he advanced through ranks like Confidential Secretary to the Local Teaching Service Committee and Pay Officer before leaving public service for private business in the 1980s.

Politically active since joining the National Republican Convention (NRC) in 1992, Agbedi later joined the United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP) after its proscription. He served on UNCP committees and ran unsuccessfully for Bayelsa-West Senatorial District.

Joining PDP in 2001, he held roles such as Special Assistant to the Chairman of the PDP’s computerized membership registration committee and Secretary of the national committee overseeing party congresses in Abia State.

In 2007, Governor Goodluck Jonathan appointed him to the Transition Committee on power handover to Timipre Sylva. Though he later resigned his PDP chairmanship after criticizing Sylva’s performance, PDP leaders retained him.

Sylva removed Agbedi from office in 2008 amid party disputes. He later became Director General of Siriake Dickson’s governorship campaigns (2012 and 2015), helping Dickson win both elections.

A member of the Senate’s Senior Legislative Aide, he contested PDP primaries for Sagbama/Ekeremor Federal Constituency in 2015, winning the general election with 100 votes. In 2019, he secured a third term as House Representative after another unsuccessful governor bid.

His second governor attempt in 2019 faced disputes over zoning and primary process allegations against Dickson’s preferred candidate.