YENAGOA—Commercial and governmental activities were, Tuesday, brought to a stand still as Bayelsans besieged the Samson Siasia Stadium to witness the formal declaration of Governor Seriake Dickson to run for a second term in the forthcoming governorship election on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
The occasion attracted prominent Bayelsa elders and top PDP members led by chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, Chief Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, Deputy Governors of Delta State, Kingsley Otuaro; Abia, Chris Akomas; Ebonyi, Kelechi Igwe and Kogi, Yomi Awoniyi, among others.The former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, was accompanied by his wife, Dame Patience , who received a thunderous applause when her name was mentioned.
Dr. Jonathan said though his decision to endorse the second bid of Governor Dickson had attracted reactions through bulk SMS in circulation, his decision was based on the four points conviction that the incumbent had performed in the areas of prompt workers’ salary payment, proper management of state resources without recourse to borrowing, improved infrastructural development and road constructions.
He said, “I have stayed in government for 16years. I stayed with Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha for six years and stayed in the Presidency for another six years. And in all those years, I think I know much about what some state governors have done.“I may not know all that the state governors have done and I also may not know all they have not done, but I know what pains the people. When Dickson told me that he wants to declare for second term, I said he should do it. As I said he should do it, some people were asking me questions through bulk SMS.
“But I want to tell him that I will also be here when he is presented with the flag of the party. One of the things worrying the Federal Government is the issue of workers’ salaries owed by the states. Dickson has done well in that aspect. Another issue is that of the borrowing. Dickson has done well. On infrastructure and development, Dickson has tried.”
In his goodwill message, the Ondo State governor and the Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, Chief Mimiko, said that the decision to call for Dickson re-election was based on noticeable development in the state, more so when you have a governor that has lifted his people, there was need for him to return.“Some people are Abuja based giants and newspapers giants in terms of politics.
Dickson is a man of accomplishment,” he said.He added that the meeting of the PDP Governors Forum, held on Monday night, also dwelled on the rising and dangerous incursions made by the
All Progressive Congress, APC, led administration into the PDP controlled states of the South-South.
“The South-South people cannot allow the APC to trample on the states. More than 50 per cent of the governors in APC are products of the PDP. For us in the PDP, we have not shaking. We know that the truth will come out one day,” he said.
Also speaking, former governor of the state, Chief Alamieyeseigha described the gathering of PDP stalwarts at the event as an indication of the victory for the party come December 5.
The event, according to him, was nothing but a pre-electoral victory celebration for the party.
In his declaration, Governor Dickson said that the decision to run for second term was a call for his team of administrators to re-dedicate themselves to the stability and development of the state.
According to him, “Some people came here sometime ago to say that the PDP is finished in Bayelsa, the gathering here today (yesterday) shows that the PDP is in charge of the state. Of all the political offices in the state, the opposition party has only one at the state Assembly.
“Out of all the 105 councillors, they have none. From 1999 till date, we have four governors serving and three are still in PDP. Only one went astray. It shows that this is an unshakeable party. Bayelsa has no room for any other party. The other party has no message for us.
“It is not because they have a federal might behind them, but because we have you, the people of the state. The good news is that they are not on ground in the state and they are not our match. The good news is that unknown to them, they are another arm of the PDP. After their primaries, we will appoint for them interim party executive committee and we will shut them down gradually,” he added.
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