By Emmanuel Addeh in Yenagoa
Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, Wednesday boasted that only the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had the capacity to win elections in the state, vowing to lead the party to victory in the November 16 governorship election.
Speaking at a PDP stakeholders’ meeting in Yenagoa, the governor said that with the support of leaders of the state, he would ensure that the baton of leadership is handed over to another PDP governor, irrespective of the opposition.
Governor Dickson reminded the people that the last election showed how the Federal Government deployed its might to undermine the security of the state in favour of their party members, a statement by his Special Adviser on Media Relations, Fidelis Soriwei, said.
Dickson stressed that the PDP was the only political party with the popularity and strength to win free, fair and credible election in Bayelsa State.
The Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum cautioned that the guber election in Bayelsa would be a class of two systems: the PDP and its massive supporters in the various constituencies and communities and the APC, backed by Federal Forces to attempt wrest political control.
“Another PDP Govermor will be elected in the next election. I urge all the people to step into the communities and mobilise the people. It will be my pleasure to lead the PDP with your support so that another PDP governor will be elected.
“How we survived during the 2015 governorship election is by the grace of God and our mobilisation skills. You now have people who know how to play opposition politics. As we begin the transition programme, we expect you to put on the toga of an opposition person.
“You have a lot of work to do. It is their work to sow seeds of discord but it’s your job to keep your party united, strong and stable” he said.
While calling on the people not to use former President Goodluck Jonathan’s name to destabilise the party, Dickson pleaded with the stakeholders of the party to enforce the 30 percent affirmative action accorded women for councillorship positions.
Dickson also raised the alarm over the gradual decline of revenues from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), stating that the state’s earnings for March alone was more than N3 billion less, in spite of the increase in crude oil price.
“The economy is so terrible. We are praying that the country doesn’t go into another recession with the way they are going. Crude oil is being produced; the quantity is high and the price is even better.
“Since January your allocation has been going down. In January we had a shortfall of over N1bn, in February it was N2bn and we recorded a shortfall of N3bn in March. That is what we are going through. Throughout this year, your government has actually been in the red.”
On the forthcoming local government council election, the governor said that extensive consultations were ongoing.
In his remarks, the state PDP Chairman, Cleopas Moses, urged stakeholders to place the interest of the state above other considerations in the course of their consultations concerning the governorship election.
Others at the meeting were Air Vice Marshall Larry Koinyan (rtd), Ms Patience Ranami Abah and state PDP Women Leader, Madam Eunice Akene.
