…Urges APC to be peaceful, law-abiding in its rallies
The Bayelsa State Government has granted permission to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) to use the state government-controlled Oxbow Lake for the its campaign rally.
Chief Press Secretary to the state’s governor, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, said in a statement, on Thursday, that the APC was given express permission to use the newly completed facility after paying the requisite fee which the ruling Peoples Democratic Party also paid.
The governor’s spokesman said that the decision to readily grant permission to the APC to use the Oxbow Lake Pavilion was in consonance with Governor Dickson’s reputation for a culture of political tolerance in the state.
The statement urged the APC leadership and members to take care of the facility and to make their rally as peaceful as possible.
He recalled that Governor Dickson gave out the Samson Siasia Stadium which was the safest venue to President Muhammadu Buhari for his Presidential rally in Bayelsa even when he was running against former President Goodluck Jonathan from Bayelsa State in 2015.
He added that the Governor who places emphasis on the building of a culture of tolerance in the political process in Bayelsa also released the Stadium to Chief Timipre Sylva and APC members who defected from the PDP in 2015 campaign against him.
According to him, the governor further invited the then Candidate òf the APC to join him to receive the party’s delegation led by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.
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He stated further that Gov Dickson, in his display of political maturity, released the same Oxbow Lake for the APC Presidential rally in addition to receiving the Vice President in accordance with standard practice early in the year.
He urged the APC members to give priority to the need to have peaceful campaigns devoid of violence noting that the essence of political contest was not to kill and maim the innocent but to engage the people for their votes.