Barely 24 hours after the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), released its time table for the party primaries, the Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has warned Bayelsans to be mindful of desperate politicians whose track records are based on politics of propaganda and are diabolical in nature.
Governor Dickson, made this assertion during his monthly interactive session with PDP officials at the party’s secretariat in Yenagoa, noting that most politicians in Bayelsa are still wallowing in the politics of blackmail, Juju and propaganda, adding that some politicians are still living in the past as a dawn has come in Bayelsa politics and advised party members to strongly resist such politicians whose aim is to drag the state backward.
He stated that the PDP-led government is a performing one, stressing that, the achievements of the President and the PDP Governors were a pointer to the party’s commitment towards transforming the country.
While commending the bond of unity that exists in the party from the ward, chapters and the state level, the Governor further stressed that it is the will of God to restore Bayelsa State as all organs of Government in the state are working in harmony and unity of purpose, adding that before now Bayelsa was always a reference point in terms of violence especially the state house of Assembly which was crisis ridden.
He also cited the instance of a sister state were the judiciary has been under lock and key for the past six months due to conflicts with the executive arms of the government, pointed out to aspirants that in this period of elections and electioneering, politicians should be peaceful in their campaigns and advised those who are interested in elective positions to pray, consult and play the game according to the rules devoid of thurgery and violence.
He charged them to propagate the achievements of restoration government to the electorate in order to make their elections easier as the era of candidate imposition is over in the state and the party.
He commended the different groups in the state for endorsing him to continue in office after 2016 and thanked the National leaders of the PDP especially Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa-Ibom state who is also the Chairman of the PDP Governor’s forum for adopting President
Goodluck Jonathan as the soul presidential candidate of the party for 2015 elections.
In his words: “Let me congratulate the National Chairman of our party, chairman of the Board of Trustees, chairman and members of the board of directors, my colleagues in the PDP governors’ Forum, particularly our able and dynamic chairman, Governor Godswill Akpabio and all vthose, who collaborated with me and other well meaning stakeholders of our party to bring about this unprecedented statement of the right of first refusal.
“As I said yesterday (Wednesday), we did that in good faith and that is the best for our party, country and our democracy. That; no performing president from now on, will be subjected to an elective nomination of primary process, because that is wrong and undemocratic.
It breeds chaos, division and in-fighting. That is what in the PDP, taking advantage of our dominance in our nation’s polity, have come to show a clear way forward to deepen and strengthen our democracy and elevate our party’s internal mechanism to the level that you see in other advanced democracies in the world.”
To reduce friction and acrimony among PDP members, Governor Dickson urged them to consult widely before contesting any elective office and play by the rules, stressing that, the Government would not condone any form of violence and criminality.
He also enjoined the party’s chairmen of the 105 wards and local government areas to work closely with other stakeholders within the party to ensure hitch-free elections and not to allow themselves to be distracted by blackmail and negative propaganda.
Speaking earlier, the State Chairman of the PDP, Col. Sam Inokoba (rtd) commended members for the peace and unity existing in the party and pledged their total support for President Jonathan and Governor Dickson, adding that, the projects undertaken by the duo would speak
for them.
He promised that all aspirants will be giving a level playing field to operate and that the guidelines of the party for the conduct of the primaries will be made available soon.
Present at the meeting were the speaking of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, serving commissioners, wards and local government party executives, women groups, aspirants and other party faithful.