•Dispels rumour of altercation with Dickson
Emmanuel Addeh in Yenagoa
A frontline governorship aspirant in Bayelsa State and former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief Timi Alaibe has said he is the most prepared of all the governorship hopefuls in the state, stressing that he won’t run the state as an accidental governor if elected.
Speaking yesterday in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital during a media chat, the former Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Office, maintained that while some other aspirants were waiting for the governorship position to ‘fall on their laps’, he had worked hard to lead the state and had the requisite experience and capacity to make Bayelsa the envy of Africa.
Alaibe also said he had moved on after the complaints that trailed the last delegates’ election in which he felt his camp was unfairly treated, promising to go ‘full blast’ in the next few days as the primaries draw closer.
Describing himself as an advocate of peace, Alaibe said he would never support the use of violence to achieve any end, insisting that he has had to step down for some of his opponents in the past, when it was obvious that the contests were becoming violent.
“I come with a lot of experience, both private and public. I am compassionate, a team player, strong character, multiple leadership skills and above all, a peace advocate. This is why my people must trust me as one aspiring to be their governor.
“I have stepped down at various times, when it seemed or it was obvious that people wanted to be violent. I don’t have anything to gain from the blood of any Bayelsan to be shed, because I want to become governor otherwise I won’t sleep well, because their blood will be on me.
“I have been a victim of such circumstances, where I was attacked. I insist on non-violence with everybody that works with me. I tell them: ‘do not carry guns to make me a governor. I am not interested. I am interested in a free, fair and transparent process, that will enable a leader emerge.
“If a leader emerges from that, I don’t have any choice but to support someone like that. Power is from God. I see myself as coming on a mission to resolve problems. I feel I have the skillset to solve our problems. Don’t expect me to be jumping around, because I want to be governor. I won’t do that,” he said.
He therefore urged the delegates to Tuesday’s primary election to be wary of making the mistake of choosing someone, who would not create the needed impact in the lives of the people in the next four years, advising them that the fate of the state now lies in their hand.
“As our delegates come out, they should seek the face of God. This is for another four years and how it will impact our lives. I have the capacity and competence to be able to implement programmes and projects and policies that will turn around the state. I have experience in project implementation. I am putting my CV on the table against the pack, of course, who are also credible leaders with their various capacities.
“But they should compare and contrast, who has the vision and those who are waiting for the thing (governorship) to fall on their laps. I am not an accidental leader. I have prepared myself for leadership and our state does not need accidental leaders at this time. You have to be deliberate in picking the leaders. I enjoin all delegates to support me so that we can impact and change our state.”
Alaibe promised to make economy, job creation and security his priority, noting that lack of jobs was also a big driver of crimes in the state.
“Our vision is to share prosperity using government as a social security investor, the rule of law, human capital development, environmental remediation and job creation. These are the thematic areas we will be dealing with and government as an enabler so that private sector can come in.
“We have a 10-point agenda, which will involve peace and security, create a database of unemployed, reintegrate our youths in skills development, which I did in the Amnesty office. We will embrace the blue economy. We will create a jobs’ office,” he pledged.
On the primaries, he stressed that he was fully prepared and also dispelled rumours that he had major political differences with the incumbent, Governor Seriake Dickson.
“The delegates’ election is in the past now, we are already at the level of the primaries. We will face that squarely and go full blast and by God’s grace, we will win. There’s nothing wrong with my relationship with Seriake Dickson. We do not have any fundamental issues. It is politics time and some people will suspect different things.
“He’s the governor of our state and I give him that respect. He’s also a leader that we all adore and we’ll continue to do that. There’s no altercation between us,” he noted.
Stressing that his electoral promises were different from what politicians pledged in the past, Alaibe said, “It’s irregular for me to be called a politician. I am not a politician per say; I am a private sector person in politics. Given that background, private sector people like to say it the way it is and that’s why sometimes, politicians don’t appreciate some of us, who say the truth. I will keep my promises.
“We will be deliberate on SMEs, 80 per cent of Brazilian economy is SMEs. They are key. Where there are no small businesses, or feedstock for big companies, there’s a problem. We will deal with multiple taxations, because as a businessman, I also encountered it. It’s profit that should be taxed, not losses. When you tax losses, then there is a problem.”
He also promised to create massive impact in sports, noting that sports could create enormous jobs, where the raw energy of youths could be channeled into use.
