With former President Goodluck Jonathan, Ex-governor DSP Alamieyeseigha and other stakeholders’ present at Governor Seriake Dickson declaration for a second tenure and consequent stepping down of other aspirants, Dickson is set to race against tradition to break the jinx and become first governor to be re-elected in Bayelsa state since 1999 when Nigeria returned to democracy, writes Amos Odeh, from Yenagoa
Former President Goodluck Jonathan, Chief DSP Alamieyesegha , the first civilian governor of Bayelsa state and other prominent politicians and stakeholders have thrown their weight behind the second term bid of Governor Seriake Dickson and if the crowd and personalities are perimeters used to win election, then come December 5, 2015, the Toru – Orua born politician will not only break the jinx, but will be racing against the tradition.
At an unprecedented mammoth crowd at the Samson Siasia Sports Complex, former President Jonathan who was accompanied by his wife, Dame Patience Goodluck Jonathan, urged Bayelsans to support the second term ambition of Governor Seriake Dickson.
According to Jonathan, he endorsed Governor Dickson for second term to enable him consolidate on his achievements in Bayelsa state, the Glory of all land, adding that Bayelsans should unite to support Governor Dickson for second term in office.
Jonathan observed that as a former president, he had the privilege to travel all the 36 states including Abuja and has taken notice of the remarkable performance of Dickson administration within three and half years in office, considering the critical terrain and dwindling resources of Bayelsa State.
Jonathan maintained that Governor Dickson was able to clear huge debts owed by immediate past administration in the state, regular payment of workers’ salaries, pension, including achievements in areas of security, sustainable development , health, Education and Agricultural revolution, to stand high among other governors going cap in hand for Federal Government financial bailout.
He stated that all Bayelsans with governorship ambition whether in PDP or APC were credible enough to govern the state, but from what Dickson has done , he deserved a second tenure to consolidate on his restoration agenda. The former president, who made his first public appearance since he left office, said he was keeping to his chest what he would tell Bayelsans when Seriake Dickson would receive the flag as the PDP standard bearer .
Also speaking, Governor Dickson averred that he was overwhelmed by the cream and calibre of personalities that responded to his invitation, stressing that the restoration government for the past four years in office has performed creditably in terms of provision of infrastructural facilities, peace and security and that it was only incumbent on the electorate to vote for a second tenure for him to consolidate on his achievements.
He further stressed that with Bayelsans on his side, he was confident of defeating any other parties at the polls come December 5, 2015.He said: “Who can the APC governorship candidate boasts of in the state?” According to him with all past governors of the state, apart from one who had “strayed,” (Timipre Sylva ) behind him, he has no doubt about his victory for a second term.
He added that all the 105 councillors, eight local government chairmen, 21 out of the 23 declared seats in the state house of Assembly, all 3 senators, 5 members of the House of Representatives and all commissioners and Special Advisers and Senior Special Assistants, Special Assistants were with him, hence he is a candidate to beat in the forthcoming election and there was no way any other party can win any election in the state.
Dickson, in a press statement, stated that when he won election he had no structures on ground, but today he has a very powerful structure that would guarantee his victory at the polls.
He also posited that the boast by All Progressive Congress (APC) members that they were going to deploy federal might and security will not deter the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) from embarking on peaceful campaign and urged the security agents not to compromise their professionalism, adding that APC cannot use threat and intimidation to wrest powers from the ruling PDP that has ruled the state since in 1999.
Dickson added that he would consolidate on the prevailing peace and security which his government has provided with the “Operation Doo Akpo” which means peace as against “Operation Famutagbe” which means kill and throw away which, a security outfit that was instituted by his predecessor, Timipre Sylva , allegedly used to terrorize, molest and intimidate innocent Bayelsans and visitors.
Also, the first civilian governor of Bayelsa, Chief DSP Alamieyesegha, said the battle for Dickson’s re-election was an Ijaw affair, which every Ijaw man has to fight for.
According to him, what the presence of the tumultuous crowd signified was a pre-election celebration. He assured the electorate “not to be deceived by the gale of defection to APC as the PDP has been the only party the Ijaw man has been associated with since 1999 and most of them that defected from PDP to APC were persons that the party has groomed and received patronages from PDP in many ways.”
He said he expected those with governorship ambitions to shelve it for now and work for Dickson’s re -election, “so that by 2020 they would be supported also. Since Dickson has excelled in infrastructural development and delivered dividends of democracy, it would be proper and generally acceptable by all Bayelsans to give him another tenure to consolidate on the restoration agenda.”
In their solidarity speeches, Governor of Ondo state, Dr Olusegun Mimiko who is also the chairman of the PDP Governors Forum who graced the occasion with the governor of Rivers state, Nyesom Wike and deputy governors of Delta, Ebonyi agreed that with the infrastructure they saw since they arrived Bayelsa state there was no doubt that Governor Dickson Seriake has performed creditably well and should be supported to consolidate on his gains.
They condemned in strong the invasion of the Akwa Ibom State Government House by the Department of Security Services (DSS) and that most defectors to APC were beneficiaries of PDP largess in the past, stressing that the emergence of Dr Akinwumi Adeshina as the President, Africa Development Bank was a manifestation of exemplary leadership the PDP government at gederal level gave the country under Jonathan.
Mimiko said the PDP Governors’ Forum has resolved to ensure they all support the re-election of Dickson, that the election was not only for Dickson but the entire PDP governors, hence they had come to show their solidarity and commitment for one of their own.
The leader of Bayelsa state National Assembly Caucus, Senator Forster Ogola who represents Bayelsa West Senatorial District in the Senate, said Dickson has performed creditably well in human resource development and deserved another tenure.
He cautioned that former members of PDP who defected to APC were ingrates and over-ambition persons that PDP has brought from obscurity to fame, stressing that the PDP in Bayelsa state by divine providence has produced former President Goodluck Jonathan, the first president from the minority with the support of the South- South and South- East.
He said in 2012 National Assembly members from Bayelsa state did not supported Dickson, yet he won and urged all Bayelsans to come out en mass to re-elect Dickson for second tenure.
He called on “those that defected to APC to retrace their steps because they have defected to a party without destination which will not give them any responsibility with 16 of them that wanted to be governor. The PDP is synonymous with Izon nation.”
Speaking on behalf of the Women For Change, a Non-Government Organization founded by Dame Patience Goodluck Jonathan, Chief Remmi Kuku said they were prepared to mobilize the entire women folks in Bayelsa state to come out en mass to vote for Governor Dickson on December 5, 2015.
According to her, Bayelsa women have been empowered by the Dickson-led administration by adhering to 35 percent affirmation with four women elected into the state House of Assembly and appointment of more women in various categories.
Speaker, Bayelsa State House of Assembly , Rt Hon Friday Konbowei Benson, said the governor has done much by providing 50 projects in his local government area and urged his constituency to stand behind Dickson’s second tenure bid. But sensing that there may be betrayers considering the calibre of aspirants the opposition may present as their standard bearer, he opined that any political appointee in the ruling PDP who could not deliver his ward would be sanctioned.
Barrister George Turnah, president of George Turnah Foundation, pledged the support of the entire youths of Bayelsa State for the re-election of Dickson, who he said had massively impacted on the youths. According to him, the government of Dickson will continue to secure the future of the youths.
The leader of Niger Delta People Volunteer Force, Alhaji Mujid Asari-Dokubo, vowed that the Ijaw nation would exploit every available means to ensure that Dickson gets his second term as the Ijaw ethnic nationality has never been conquered and would not allow any party to conquer PDP in Ijaw land.
National President of National Union of Bayelsa State Students Worldwide, Comrade Lawyer, averred that the Dickson government has been students friendly and therefore deserves the support and cooperation of the students community to reward him with a second tenure .
According to him, students under the incumbent governor have enjoyed unparalleled robust relationship as they are proud to recall some milestones which the governor had recorded. These include scholarships to students in both local and foreign universities, payment of scholarships, reopening of the scrapped Bayelsa State College of Arts and Science, which is a remedial institution which affords prospective admission seekers with deficiencies to remedy them as well as IJMB which gives Bayelsans Direct Entry admission to Nigerian universities as well as other programmes for middle management manpower.
Speaking to journalists earlier, the member representing Ogbia Federal Constituency in the Federal House of Representatives, Hon. Sodoaguo Festus-Omoni led her credence to Dickson continuity ,adding that the governor’s restoration government had delivered verifiable and tangible dividends of democracy, hence he deserved a second tenure for him to consolidate on the foundation he had laid since he assumed office in 2012.
She added that those opposed to Dickson’s second term bid do not mean well for the state, hence she is ready to mobilize her followers and supporters to support him. On gender, she said the Dickson-led administration was the first to elect four women into the state House of Assembly, apart from other appointments as commissioners and special advisers. “For these, the women will remain ever grateful and would be mobilized to support his second term bid,” she stressed.
A cross section of those interviewed during the declaration said with the mammoth crowd at the Samson Siasia Sports Complex and its surrounding who shoved and elbowed one another to catch a glimpse of the declaration event, Governor Dickson was on his way to being re-elected for second term in office.
Leave a Reply