Tony Olutomiwa, Yenagoa
The Governorship Campaign Council of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Bayelsa State last Wednesday held a mega rally at the Ox-Bow Lake Pavilion in Yenagoa, the state capital.
Although tagged a grand finale, retail campaigns are still ongoing in the various wards and units across the state until the time allowed by law ahead of the November 16 election.
It was a show of strength, going by the multitude of party supporters in attendance. Eminent personalities from across the country also graced the occasion where the PDP governorship candidate, Senator Douye Diri, and his running mate, Senator Lawrence Ewrujakpor, were presented with party flags and endorsement, as flagbearers for the election.
The roll call include the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, PDP Vice Presidential candidate in the last election, Dr. Peter Obi, Governor of Bauchi State and Chairman of the PDP National Campaign Council, Senator Bala Mohammed, Governors Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa), Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Emeka Ihedioha (Imo), Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta) and Seyi Makinde (Oyo).
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Others are the Deputy Governor of Ebonyi, Dr. Kelechi Igwe, who represented Governor Dave Umahi, former Senate President, Adolphus Wabara, Senate Minority Leader, Eyinnaya Abaribe and PDP National Women Leader, Hajia Mariam Waziri.
The campaign was largely devoted to the political values of the respective main parties in the election (PDP and the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC), the quality of their candidates in relation to leadership and competence and the preservation of the legacy of Dickson, the incumbent governor, who was showered with encomiums, as having done well in his close to eight years in the saddle.
In order to ensure continuity of this legacy, therefore, party leaders who spoke at the event canvassed the election of Douye Diri, as a worthy successor.
The PDP leaders, particularly, Secondus, Tambuwal and Dickson, also drew attention of the federal institutions charged with the responsibility of conducting the election to be alive to their duties by ensuring a free, fair and credible election.
In his address, Prince Secondus, while extolling the experience and leadership qualities of Diri, took jabs at the APC candidate, Chief David Lyon, accusing him of being incompetent to represent the state in view of the various institutions and individuals any governor would have to relate with. The message was that the APC candidate does not have the intellectual capacity to do the job of a governor, a position often held by the PDP since the beginning of the campaign.
Secondus said it was unfortunate that the APC presented a candidate in the mould of Lyon, whom he regarded as unelectable.
For this reason, he said, APC and its leaders should apologise to Bayelsans even as he accused the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, of lack of love for his people by such decision.
He noted that whereas there were other competent aspirants with the requisite qualifications and experience, Sylva’s choice of Lyon was purposely to serve his parochial interest and not the collective interest of the people.
The PDP national chairman also castigated the APC-led Federal Government for allegedly destroying the country’s economy, stating that it had inflicted hardship on the people since coming to power.
Secondus went sentimental, telling the people that it was APC, which took power from their son, Goodluck Jonathan, but had intentionally refused to bring development to Bayelsa State.
He, therefore, asked the people to pay back with the rejection of the opposition party at the poll.
He, however, was pleased with the huge attendance at the rally, which, he said, was an indication of the support for PDP and rejection of the APC in the state.
He said: “As soon as they took over in 2015, the entire system collapsed; the government collapsed, security collapsed, hunger came in, banking and everything collapsed in the country. The country has been damaged by APC government. Do not be deceived, this country has been damaged; our electoral process has been damaged. It is only PDP that can rescue it.
“When you are a governor, you must speak to an international community; you must speak to the nation. It is not a village affair. We don’t want people who will go there and be intimidated, and they cannot represent Bayelsa.
“There is a great difference between our candidate and their candidate. Lyon cannot represent himself. It is not enough to say I want to be a governor. It is not a village affair. We don’t want people who will go and will not represent Bayelsa.
“If they wished Bayelsa well, will they bring that kind of candidate? Douye Diri has been tested and has performed. He will not hire professor. He is professor himself. With Douye Diri and his running mate, what else are you looking for? Don’t be deceived.
“The leader of APC wants a man he can control. Are there no professors in APC? The APC and its leaders must apologise for bringing such a candidate.”
Also speaking, Governor Dickson observed that it was only the PDP that has given voice and benefits to the Ijaw people and as such PDP is Ijaw people’s party.
He said PDP gave Bayelsa a platform to realise major developments, recollecting that in spite of the political developments at the federal level, leading to the loss of the presidency, PDP still won Bayelsa in 2015.
He was optimistic that PDP will repeat the 2015 feat by coasting to victory on November 16, even as he urged party supporters to go out and vote en-masse for Douye Diri and the PDP.
Dickson said: “Today is another opportunity for us in Bayelsa State and Ijaw nation to thank PDP for being our party. Thank you for being our umbrella that has shielded us from all rain and sun.
“PDP has been the only party since independence and party politics that has given us a face and a voice. That is why we in this state and Ijaw nation would continue to say PDP is Ijaw’s party.
“In 2015 when political calamity struck at the federal level, the storms came, the political storms came. Defection even in greater numbers came but the people of this state and those who mean well for this state stood by me and we won election in all the local government areas.
“Why I have gone down the memory lane is to let you know that what is going on is normal. We weather it. We defeated the so-called federal might in 2015, wards after wards, local government after local government and by the grace of God these people you see here and our teeming supporters in the state are poised to repeat that on November 16. Those with us are much more that than those against us.
“Nobody should believe the propaganda, the sponsored defection and continued vilification of the leadership that has done so much for our people. Nobody should believe because 15 political appointees out of over 3000 appointees (defected) that PDP would shake.
“We are too formidable. The ongoing campaigns have shown the lies of the APC. In wards after wards, local government after local government, communities after communities, even in their own communities, the people have demonstrated again and again that they are with the PDP and not with the APC.”
Dickson also raised issues over possible manipulation of the electoral process, warning that security agencies in particular must be above board. His concern tallied with that of Secondus and Tambuwal on why the election must be transparent and credible and indeed the fear of the repeated allegation that the opposition APC was planning to rig the election.
Dickson’s words: “Here is a message to those in uniform services who will be told to rig the election. Know clearly that our people are ready to vote for peace, stability and investment in all its ramifications. While we call for professionalism, the world should know that Bayelsa is the heartland of the PDP.”
In his own take, Secondus stated: “The security agencies should not allow themselves to be used by APC to ruin this election. The country is suffering because of the damage done to our election. We don’t want a repetition of what happened in Rivers. All those in authority should let peace prevail. Stop damaging the country, people are hungry. Let’s start from Bayelsa to practice free and fair election. One man, one vote
“We call on security agencies not to allow themselves to be used by the APC to rig election. We know that the APC is not on ground but they are planning to come with evil.”
Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwall, who spoke on behalf of PDP governors, also said the party was aware of APC’s plan to rig the election as he applauded the massive support of the people at the rally.
“We are very pleased to be here to witness this very impressive turnout of members of our party, PDP, in Bayelsa for this grand finale rally for the forthcoming governorship election here in Bayelsa State.
“Your presence here is an eloquent testimony of the fact that Bayelsa belongs to PDP and by the grace of God, no one will take Bayelsa away from PDP. We are aware of their plan to rig the election because they are not on ground. Come out en-masse and vote and protect your vote. So that Diri will eventually come and become the governor of Bayelsa State and take over from my brother Seriake Dickson to continue with the good works and consolidate and install prosperity for the good people of Bayelsa State,” he said.
The absence of former President Goodluck Jonathan and Chief Timi Alaibe, however, drew attention to possible rift, as being insinuated in political circles in the state for a while now.
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But speaking on the situation, Bauchi State Governor and Chairman of the PDP National Campaign Council, Senator Bala Mohammed, disabused the minds of party supporters and the public at large to the effect that Jonathan was unavoidably absent, owing to his mission to Niamey on behalf of the African Union, AU.
He was emphatic that wherever he and other associates of the former president at the event were present, Jonathan was effectively present, too.
Also speaking with The Nigerian Xpress, chairman of the party’s caucus, Chief TKO Okorotie, cleared the air on Alaibe, saying he remained a strong member of the PDP in Bayelsa State, having ironed out his differences with the party, following the fallout of the primaries and due intervention by the Reconciliation Committee.
In his remarks, the PDP governorship candidate, Senator Douye Diri, said he would prioritise the completion of the three senatorial roads, realise the Agge Seaport, Brass NLNG and partner with multilateral agencies to usher in development.
He also said he would give due attention to the empowerment of women and youths through micro credits to engage in economic activities on a commercial scale.
As both the PDP and APC head to the poll as major competitors in the election on Saturday, the expectation is that the outcome would be free, fair and credible, leaving the electorate to decide who wins as a democratic enterprise. It is also a good thing that the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Mahmood Yakubu also kept this words by returning to the state with the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, to further engage the stakeholders on the need for a peaceful election and instituting the signing of a peace accord by the two leading parties and other 40 others.
Accordingly, it is hoped that the recurring negative history of election in Bayelsa State will be consigned to the past during the November governorship election in the state.
