Bayelsa State Governor, Henry Seriake Dickson has accused advisers around<\/p>\n
President Mohammadu Buhari of not helping the President in formulating
\npolicies that would help checkmate the dwindling economy.<\/p>\n
Dickson, while addressing Journalist at the Bayelsa Governor’s lodge said
\nrather than help the President, build bridges and political consensus to
\nfix the country, Advisers are busy building political egos.
\nThe governor reiterated his earlier position that after any presidential
\nelections, governors should work with and support the President and
\nFederal Government on national security, law and order and the economy.<\/p>\n
He said, “We have seen a steady decline in our revenue. I have been saying
\nthis. There is an insufficient attention from the team around the
\npresident. Instead of focusing on the economy and national security, they
\nare interested in political conquest and intrigues, even in their party.<\/p>\n
“I’m of the view that the President’s Advisers are not sincere, I’m seeing
\nthem showing unnecessary concern about political ego. This is when we
\nshould be forming national consensus. I don’t think deploying national
\nassets and resources for political ego are necessary.<\/p>\n
“I am surprised and shocked that despite all these changes, people are
\ninterested in battles. We are not building consensus. That should always
\nhappen after election. We should draw a line to criminality and bad
\nconducts. The APC leadership knows all these yet, they don’t care. State
\nand national security have been compromised. I’m calling for understanding
\nfrom the Federal Government for Bayelsa state to be safe again.”
\nGovernor Dickson attributed his victory over the All Progressives Congress
\n(APC) and its candidate, Timipre Sylva in the recently-conclude election
\nto the divine intervention.<\/p>\n
According to him, while he was with God and campaigned with the Peoples
\nDemocratic Party (PDP) for six weeks, Sylva was waiting for the judiciary
\nto make him governor.<\/p>\n
Dickson who spoke in an interview with Senior Editors and Abuja Bureau
\nChiefs on Monday, said experience had taught him that he would always win
\nany election even if conducted 100 times in Bayelsa State.<\/p>\n
He said the Bayelsa State governorship election was unique because “we
\nwere up against a full display of the totality of powers deployed by the
\ncentre to the fullest to take over Bayelsa State by force.”<\/p>\n
“My opponent’s campaign was appropriate and it was nicknamed ‘Operation
\ntake over Bayelsa’; we now know what they meant. We thank all Nigerians,
\nfrom all walks of life. who showed their anger that the right thing should
\nbe done”, Dickson stated.<\/p>\n
He said, “The election is a major significant development for our
\ndemocracy. This is the first time a governor in the core Niger Delta would
\nbe winning election different from the government at the centre. It is a
\ntriumph of peoples will over might. Women used their bare bellies to stop
\nArmoured Personnel Carriers (APCs).<\/p>\n
“I expected that my opponent should have called to congratulate me with a
\nview to joining me to build the ruins he perpetrated. The honourable thing
\nfor my opponent is to stop this war against our people and stop boasting
\nthat he will manipulate the judiciary against the will of the people. I
\ndon’t know what he wants to get out of the judiciary, this is desperation
\non his part. I’ve extended my hand of fellowship to Sylva. They don’t have
\nGod on their side and they were completely routed.<\/p>\n
“The big lesson is that anybody seeking election should draw closer to his
\npeople. Power comes from God, but don’t underrate people. The governance
\npolitics of Bayelsa State cannot be the same again. We visited community
\nafter community and campaigned for six weeks. It is very penetrating and
\nengaging and I am connected to my people. We toured the state for
\nelection, while the other side (Sylva and APC) were preparing for
\nviolence.<\/p>\n
“If I election is conducted 100 times in Bayelsa State, I will win. The
\nlesson for from that is that after God, comes the people in an election.
\nThe story would have been worse if we had not laid the foundation for
\nnon-violence in an election, but insisted that people should resist
\nmalpractice and defend their votes.”<\/p>\n
The governor regretted that instead of grieving for those who shattered
\nneed injuries and died during the election, Sylva believes that the
\njudiciary would make hi a governor.<\/p>\n
“INEC officials were at gun point to write fake results for him. It seems
\nthat he is not tired of supplementary election. He doesn’t care if Bayelsa
\ngoes to blazes. I think it is too much desperation on his part. If we are
\nin decent climes, some people will be answering questions over the
\nviolence that took place in the election.<\/p>\n
He knows that he has no case, yet he is hoping on more supplementary
\nelections. This has to stop, some one should tell this gentleman that this
\nhas to stop”, the governor stated.
\nDickson also ruled out one party state in Nigeria saying that cannot
\nhappen in Nigeria, going by the Bayelsa State experience.
\n“Nigerian democracy is on trial, it shows that our country cannot be a one
\nparty state. From my experience in Bayelsa a state, Anybody thinking of
\ntotalitarian rule in Nigeria should have a rethink. This country shouldn’t
\nbe allowed to slip into a one party state. Many people who defected to the
\nother party just because they were interested in political appointments
\nlost their polling booths and units. It shows that our people would be
\nagainst one party state”, he stated.
\nWhile condemning the violence and blood letting that trailed the
\ngovernorship election, Dickson said the victims were all from PDP, while
\nthose who who perpetrated the violence were all from APC.
\nHe however promised to work with the families to bury the dead.<\/p>\n
The governor also expressed optimism concerning the fate of the
\ntraditional ruler of Peremabiri community, Chief Progress Never Die, who
\nwas shot at close range by a suspected militant group led by Eris Paul
\na.k.a Ogunboss during the rescheduled Bayelsa State governorship election
\nin Southern Ijaw LGA.
\nAccording to him, the monarch has a bullet wound lodged on his brain,
\nadding “the people who shot him are walking freely, enjoying state
\nprotection.”
\nHe advised that the statement by a repented militant from the Niger-Delta,
\nMr. Government Ekpemupolo (aka Tompolo)that those who blew up pipelines
\nare sponsored to incriminate others should not be dismissed.
\nWhile expressing optimism that his sister, Nancy Dickson and the Bayelsa
\nState Commissioner for Local Government would be released, the governor
\nassured that the security agencies were on top of the situation.
\nDickson said, “I’ve alway treated kidnapping as crimes in their own
\nrights. The security agencies should be allowed to do their jobs. My
\nsister has spent one month in captivity, we are very concerned. But I
\ndon’t believe in paying money or ransom to kidnappers. Our prayers is that
\nvery soon they would be released.”<\/p>\n
The governor said after his election, President Muhammadu Buhari should
\nhave congratulated him in line with the trend of peace.
\nHe said, “The President is the custodian of the country. President
\nOlusegun Obasanjo and others never compromised that standard. In the
\ninterest of the nation, the President should congratulate me. He should be
\nadvised to project himself more and that is the opportunity my reelection
\nhas provided. I know it is not yet late, I don’t know the briefing he got.
\nIf you look at the manner he was elected, President Goodluck Jonathan
\ncongratulated him, he would have gone to court and that is a major
\nmilestone.”
\nENDS…<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Bayelsa State Governor, Henry Seriake Dickson has accused advisers around President Mohammadu Buhari of not helping the President in formulating policies that would help checkmate the dwindling economy. Dickson, while…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":44667,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-45671","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exclusive"],"yoast_head":"\n