Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has called on all former leaders
and members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who defected to the All
Progressives Congress (APC) to return to the party without further delay
and join him in his re-election for the development of the state.
His call came yesterday in the light of what he felt were the” humiliation
and betrayal” meted to them by the APC leadership in the state which had
rendered them onlookers in the quest for political participation and
relevance.
He also noted that the opposition party did not represent any viable
alternative to peace, unity and development of the state, reminding them
that the APC leadership in the state only had a repressive and
retrogressive past which will not serve any better purpose in this
dispensation.
While stressing that the forthcoming election was not about him but for
the greater good of Bayelsa State, Dickson urged all PDP defectors to put
their grievances behind them and join hands with him to uphold the
interest of the state and the Ijaw nation above personal interest, adding
that none of them could afford to allow the state slid into the dark days
of the past.
“We may have had our differences but in the light of current realities, it
is only desirable that all our former members return to the PDP and join
hands with me for greater development of Bayelsa State. Certainly we
cannot afford a return to the dark days of our past and allow the state
slid into anarchy, killings, maiming, kidnappings, cultism and
state-sponsored terrorism directed at political opponents. The harrowing
experiences of many Bayelsans who fled into exile in neighbouring states
and far-flung places under the APC candidate when he held sway as governor
for five years remain vivid and should not be allowed to be repeated. This
is why we have to reason together and make amends”, he said.
He charged Bayelsans not to be afraid or intimidated but come out en-mass
and exercise their civic duty on election day, assuring them that adequate
security will be provided to ensure voting takes place all across the
state in a peaceful atmosphere.
He allayed fears of rigging, saying nobody can rig the election, adding
that the votes of every Bayelsan will count and results will be declared
in every polling unit.
He stated: “Let me assure you all Bayelsans that the fear of rigging in
this election, reasonable as it sounds, will not be possible. Nobody can
rig this election because the whole world will be in Bayelsa to monitor
the process. Your votes will count. When you vote on election day, wait
and be a monitor yourself. There will be adequate security and all key
federal institutions that will be saddled with the task of conducting the
election such as INEC and law enforcement agencies will be fully on ground
to ensure there are no hitches or give room for manipulation in favour of
a particular candidate. Your votes will count”.