Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has warned the people to beware of politicians whose track record is propaganda, magic, and blackmail.
He spoke in Yenagoa at the monthly meeting of the state Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), where he argued that the achievements of President Goodluck Jonathan and PDP governors point to the party’s commitment to the transformation of the country.
He commended the unity in the party from the ward, state to federal levels, stressing that “it is the will of God” to restore Bayelsa where “all the organs of government are working in harmony and unity of purpose.”
Before now, Dickson recalled, Bayelsa was a reference point in violence and the state House of Assembly ridden with crises.
He urged politicians to be peaceful in their campaigns and those interested in elective positions to pray, consult, and play the game by the rules without thuggery and violence.
He charged them to highlight the achievements of the government to the electorate in order to make their election easier, as the era of imposition of candidates is over in the state and the party.
Dickson applauded the different groups that have endorsed him to continue in office, thanked PDP leaders, especially Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State, who is also the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, for adopting Jonathan as the sole presidential candidate of the party.
He explained that Jonathan was made the consensus candidate “in good faith and that is the best for our party, country and our democracy. 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 why the PDP, taking advantage of our dominance in our nation’s polity, has 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 the advanced democracies in the world.”
To reduce acrimony, Dickson urged PDP members to consult widely before contesting any elective office, and to play by the rules, because the government will not condone criminality and violence.
He also enjoined the party’s chairmen of the 105 wards and council areas to work with other stakeholders to ensure hitch free elections and not to be distracted by propaganda and blackmail.
State PDP Chairman, Sam Inokoba, commended the “peace and unity” in the party and urged them to support Jonathan and Dickson because the projects they implemented speak for them.
He promised that all aspirants will be given a level playing field and that the guidelines of the primaries will be announced soon.
Others present at the meeting included lawmakers, commissioners, PDP ward and council executives, women’s groups, and political office aspirants.
