- Promises jobs for Niger Delta youths to curb restiveness
Iyobosa Uwugiaren and Chuks Okocha in Abuja
A former Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NNDC), Mr. Timi Alaibe, Thursday picked the nomination form of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to enable him to vie for the party’s ticket to fly its flag in the November 16 governorship election in Bayelsa State.
Alaibe, who picked both the governorship nomination and expression of interest forms at the party’s headquarters in Abuja, assured the people that he would address the fundamental issues responsible for youth restiveness and create an enabling environment for job creation.
He said he would consolidate on the legacy of Governor Seriake Dickson’s administration and ensure that infrastructure, education, healthcare and security were given priorities.
“We are clear as to what we want to do in terms of our objectives. As a PDP state, we want to retain Bayelsa State. As such, we are going to, as governor, consolidate on the good great work that our governor, Henry Seriake Dickson, has done so far in Bayelsa State.
‘’We are going to consolidate on his achievements, especially his work in areas of critical infrastructure in the education sector, health and other critical infrastructural projects’’, he told journalists at the PDP secretariat.
He added that he would convey social investment benefits to the state, make good use of Bayelsa coastlines and ensure that peace is restored in the state.
“As for our vision, we will espouse our belief of using government as a social investment platform in the implementation of social infrastructural projects in security, health and environment. But more importantly, we will espouse our interest in using government as an enabler for the maintenance of a peaceful and conducive environment to attract private sector capital, experience and strategy in implementing accelerated economic development.
“We will utilise that in also implementing environmental projects to redeem ecological degradation in the Niger Delta. We will also be utilising that in implementing projects that have to do with tourism and some of the critical blue ocean projects, which are key to creation of jobs for our people and grow the economy of Bayelsa State.
“It is critical that we utilise the advantage of having the longest coast line in Nigeria. That will change the economic landscape of our state,’’ he said.
Alaibe was optimistic that with the overwhelming support he is getting from Bayelsans, his victory is assured.
He promised accelerated economy, Small, Medium, Enterprises (SMEs), ecological remediation and blue ocean economy and sustainable economy without destruction of ecosystem.
‘’You need a person who is focused to continue from where the current governor will stop; I have both local and international network to do what I want to do. I have the goodwill to sustain what the present governor has done’’, he stated.
Answering question on his repeated race for the governorship position of the state, he said there was no big deal about the fact that he had been in the race more than once.
‘’It is also true that sometimes, I had to step down for others. Anytime I did that, it was based on certain political exigencies. For instance, I believe that the party is supreme. So, when the leadership of the party says something, we have to abide by it.
‘’But that era is over. It is different this time because I have carried out extensive consultations with the stakeholders both at the state and national levels. I can only say that I am humbled and overwhelmed at the magnitude of support I have received’’, he said.
