Tony Olutomiwa/Yenagoa
The governor of Bayelsa State, Seriake Dickson, has explained that the need for continuity and stability In government was behind the choice of Senators Douye
Diri and Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo as governorship flagbearers ahead of the November 16 election in the state.
He spoke on Monday at the flagoff of the governorship campaign of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) in Yenagoa, the state capital.
Dickson reviewed the performance of his administration in close to eight years and gave himself pass mark.
He said the Restoration government had made a difference in the areas of infrastructure, including the various roads and bridges built, health facilities and development in education where he said many boarding schools had been built, scholarships awarded and two universities were built, among others.
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He said that no government, either state or federal, can solve all problems within its tenure but that the next government headed by the PDP candidate would complete them.
He said: “That’s why we want a government that will continue with all these things. And that is why our party leaders and courtesy of the delegates, we are presenting a ticket of continuity and stability, a ticket of experience and by the
grace of God, your next governor is Senator Douye Diri.
“There is no government that can claim to solve all problems of a state or a country in eight years. But so much were done. There are a lot of things that are ongoing, so many things we planned to do but due to time and resources were stalled, all of these, Douye Diri and the new government will continue and complete”.
He called on the mammoth crowd of party supporters who thronged the OX-Bow Lake venue that the forthcoming election was about their future and not about him as he urged them to go into their various units and wards to work for the success of the PDP at the election.
“Let us buckle up and deliver for PDP, not Governor Dickson or Douye Diri. This party has come to stay here from when Chief Alamieyeseigha became the first governor; he flied the PDP ticket and won the state for PDP. The baton of leadership has continued to remain in the hands of PDP government. Let us keep this party for our people. There is no alternative. Get ready to mobilize and vote them out,” he said.
He debunked the notion that the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) was capable of winning the state at the next election, saying that the crowd of supporters at the event was a tip of the iceberg.
“It is like this in every local government area, every ward, every community in this state. This state is totally and wholly PDP. Just as we defeated them with their so- called federal support in 2015, we will defeat them with bigger margin in the November”.
He called on the Minister of Petroleum Resources and former governor, Timipre Sylva, to use his appointment to attract development to the state rather than using it for political gains alone by bringing to fruition the LNG and the fertilizer project in Brass.
“He now has an opportunity and we thank the president for appointing him. But not let him use that federal might to bring in soldiers and police to come and kill and intimidate our people during election”, he said.
While advising the security agencies and the INEC to exhibit responsibility by carrying out their jobs as required during election, he said the state government was ready to cooperate with such agencies for a peaceful election.
The governor further said that the airport built by the state government would begin operations later this month.
Also speaking, the PDP governorship candidate, Senator Douye Diri, lauded Dickson’s leadership qualities and the strides in the various developmental projects recorded by his administration as he promised to build on his legacy.
He said he would complete all the roads and the aquaculture projects under construction by the restoration government in the state.
He also promised the youths a new era of care and development if elected, stating that as former commissioner for youths in the state, they would be the focus of government.
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“We would do all those things the current government has been doing and add more for you. More things are coming your way through jobs and enterprising activities”.
He also said his administration would cater for the interests of women in the state via micro financing to ensure they are in various businesses.
A former APC leader from Agbere, Sagbama Local Government Area of the state, Arc. Bribena Miebi, led others members back to PDP at the event.
Present at the event are the PDP National Vice Chairman, South South, Brother Emmanuel Ogidi, BoT member, Remi Kuku , top government functionaries and party leaders .
Some of the governorship aspirants including the Secretary to the State Government, Kemela Okara, Keneibi Okoko, Talford Ongolo, Dr. Nimibofa Ayawei, now Director-General of the campaign, Hon. Fred Agbedi and Hon. Sunday Agadagba also graced the occasion.
