BOMBSHELL: BAYELSA APC GUBER FLAGBEARER TIMIPRE SYLVA WITHDRAWS FROM SOUTHERN/IJAW ELECTIONS.....RESORT TO LITIGATION

Unconfirmed reports from the APC hierarchy reveals that APC Governoship candidate Mr. Timipre Sylva has withdrawn from the Southern/Ijaw elections scheduled to hold on the 19th of December, 2015.The reporter authoritative said that the Mr. Sylva has his fears that Southern/Ijaw is the stronghold of the PDP and belueves that in a free and fair election, APC will not stand a chance.Sylva is poised to shift the battle to the Law Courts. It is pertinent to recall that Southern/Ijaw Local Government Area is indeed a stronghold of the PDP, being the LGA of origin of late chief DSP Alamieyeseigha, who until his demise was the chief campaigner of the PDP.Also, principal officers such as the Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Kombowei Benson, the Chief of Staff Rt. Hon. Rt. Talford Ongolo, the Chairman of the Council Hon. Remember Ogbe, and all three Law makers, the Senatorial and the House of Reps members are all members of PDP with massive followership. Sylva might have weighed the odds and concluded that the APC does not stand.However some political pundits posit that Sylva's credibility and popularity is in doubt as he won in only one LGA out of the seven LGAs where elections were conducted. "I am taking my case to court. There is no way I would stand a chance. I have no confidence in INEC and the military, he added."

BAYELSA POLLS: PDP FAULTS SYLVA'S LETTER TO INEC,SAYS HE CANT BE GOVERNOR

 

The Restoration Campaign Organization, an organ of the Peoples Democratic Party in Bayelsa State as expressed dismay over a letter written by the candidate of the All Progressives (APC) candidate in the December 5 election, Chief Timipre Sylva to the Independent National Electoral Commission, describing it as mischievous.The group urged Sylva to stop his jejune political vitipurations and wake up to the reality that "he cannot be governor as the people have decided."In ‎the said letter copied to the Attorney-General of he Federation and Minister of Justice, Sylva requested that results from the Southern Ijaw LGA should be cancelled and he be declared winner.He reportedly told the commission to "in the interest of equity, fair-play and justice", cancel the elections in Ekeremor and Sagbama LGAs, wards 4 and 5 of Yenagoa and wards 8, 9 and 10 of Nembe LGAs.The RCO in a statement by its Director of Publicity, Jonathan Obuebite, said the letter was written against the will of the people.He said, "After carefully studying the letter, we have come to the conclusion that it was written with mischief and intended to put INEC in a position to subvert

GOV DICKSON RECEIVES OVER 2,000 APC DEFECTORS, SAYS APC IS GRADUALLY WINDING UP IN BAYELSA

 

 The Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson on Monday alongside chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party received over 2,000 decampees from the All Progressives Congress, describing the development as a signal to the end of the party in the state.Governor Dickson said the action of more defectors from the APC to thePDP was an indication of the fact that, the machinations of the APC have been exposed, which it displayed in the Governorship election in the state.The returnees, according to the governor, were deceived by the leadership of the APC, noting that, now that they have known the truth, they have retraced their steps to the PDP, as over 5,000 have concluded plans to defect.Assuring the returnees of the readiness of the leadership of the PDP to give them a sense of belonging, Hon. Dickson said the umbrella is big enough to accommodate them.

The governor described the PDP as the only formidable party in the country, that operates within the guidelines that promotes unity among all Nigerians, which he noted has endeared it to the hearts of lovers of democracy, within and outside the country.Commenting on the violence that marred the conduct of the re-scheduled governorship election in Southern Ijaw local government, the governor said, the APC should be held responsible, arguing that, instead of preparing people for the election, the APC was preparing the innocent youths for

BAYELSA POLLS: SYLVA SUFFERS ANOTHER HUMILIATION, AS BUHARI FAILS TO REVERSE CANCELLED ELECTION

The embattled candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State governorship election, Timipre Sylva, left the Aso Rock Villa on Monday night disappointed after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari over the botched December 5 governorship election.Sources informed that after much pressure and lobby by Sylva, the President eventually granted him audience in a meeting which lasted for about 20 minutes but left disappointed as he failed in his mission to get the cancelled election reversed.Sylva was said to have initiated the meeting to urge President Buhari to prevail on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to declare him winner of the election following the controversial rerun in Southern Ijaw LGA.But after prostrating to Buhari and cajoling him, the President firmly told Sylva to return home and mobilise his supporters and be prepared for a rescheduled election.A source privy to the development but who pleaded anonymity informed journalists that the APC flagbearer left Aso Rock wearing a sad look as

BAYELSA: SYLVA BOYCOTTS NEDG EVENT.....AFRAID OF DEFEAT AT DEBATE SAYS PDP

Bayelsa State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said the fear of defeat at the Bayelsa Governorship Election Debate was why All progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Timipre Sylva was absent at the forum.Director of Publicity of the Restoration Campaign Organisation, Jonathan Obuebite, said in a statement that having been properly invited by the organisers of the event, Sylva had no excuse to be absent.He said the debate was an opportune forum for the APC candidate to showcase his vision and competence to move the state forward if elected but missed the opportunity.He said Sylva lacked the ability to grapple with issues of governance, adding that was a major reason he could not perform as expected when he was governor of Bayelsa State for about five years.Obuebite also claimed Sylva knew the PDP candidate, Seriake Dickson, would defeat him in the debate and was reliably advised to sit out the debate.He stated that by his absence, Sylva had shown the people of Bayelsa that he was not ready and capable to become governor and confirmed the party’s conviction that he lacked the right competency to lead especially in a period of economic challenges requiring deep thinking and vision to make a difference in the lives of the people.“We have always stated the fact that Timipre Sylva lacked the vision and competency to be governor of Bayelsa State. So being absent deliberately at the Bayelsa Governorship Election Debate was a vindication of our conviction on this note. Of course, Sylva knew Governor Seriake Dickson will defeat him hands down on the issues of governance and development in the state and he cleverly stayed away. He just told Bayelsans he’s not ready and why the people have also rejected him ahead of Saturday’s election”.Obuebite said Sylva’s action was an indication of how he will disappoint those he’s promised federal appointments and lured into APC but which he noted were deceptions.

TORU-EBENI BRIDGE WILL BOOST ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES, SAYS JONATHAN

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has said the newly commissioned Toru-Ebeni bridge will help in opening up the hinterland in Bayelsa State as well as boost commercial activities in the area.Jonathan, who made this remark during the commissioning of the bridge, recalled that the late Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, a former governor of the state, conceived the idea of the project, but he started the construction, which the present administration completed.He said his administration saw the project as a priority, which would alleviate the sufferings of the people living in the riverine communities of Bayelsa Central and West as well as helping people of Ekeremor, who will no longer travel through Bomadi to their communities.Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), Uche Secondus described the quality of the bridge as comparable to the best anywhere in the world.Secondus noted that, the state governor, Seriake Dickson, has achieved a lot for the state interms of high quality projects which, he said, would attract massive votes for his re-election.
On his part, Dickson pointed out that due to the former president’s commitment to infrastructural development of the state, he decided to complete the bridge projects for him to commission.He expressed delight that the contractors, Setraco and CCECC, were able to complete both projects in record time, stressing that he is committed to building more of such bridges and other infrastructural facilities in the state id re-elected.His words:”I am fulfilled for the completion and commissioning of the two bridges.  The former president was committed to the development of infrastructure in the state.  I want to remind you that the Ekoli and Toru-Ebeni bridges were initiated by him. That is why the commissioning of the Toru-Ebeni bridge project was reserved for Dr. Jonathan as a mark of honour for him”.

BAYELSA: APC PLANS ARREST OF OUR MEMBERS AHEAD OF ELECTION, PDP ALLEGES

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa State yesterday raised alarm over alleged plans by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to implicate and arrest some of its members with strong and influential electoral support base a day before the December 5 governorship election in the state.The allegation was contained in a statement by the Director of Publicity of the Restoration Campaign Organisation, Jonathan Obuebite, who claimed that such PDP stalwarts would be arrested on trumped charges of arms running but that it is a political move to destabilize the party and its electoral chances.He said by the impending arrest, the APC believed it would impact negatively on the fortunes of the PDP in the affected localities.Obuebite listed those to be arrested to include Hon. Bonny Ayah, Special Adviser to the governor on Youth and Secretary of Bayelsa Volunteers, Hon. Tolu Amatu, a staunch PDP stalwart in Ekeremor, Joshua Maciever and Pastor Reuben Wilson. Maciever and Wilson are leaders of the party in Southern Ijaw.

According to him, the APC has identified these PDP leaders as influential with massive grassroots support who must therefore be taken out at all cost before it can have its way in the strongholds they control in the state.“We have it on good authority that the APC plans to frame up these individuals by planting weapons and ammunitions around their houses and then invite the police and JTF operatives to search their houses with the clear intention of implicating them in trump up charges of arm running”, he stated.The party has therefore called on the relevant security agencies to investigate the alleged plot and apprehend those who may be behind it.“The APC know too well that they can’t win in a free and fair contest and that’s why they are doing everything to rig the election. But we are confident that the authorities will be alive to their duties and ensure protective measures are taken to forestall any moves by the APC to rig the election”.

PHOTOS: GOV DICKSON ATTENDS INEC STAKEHOLDERS MEETING HELD IN BAYELSA AHEAD OF DEC 5 POLL

1- L-right: Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson, Chairman, Restoration Campaign Organization Advisory Committee, Sen. Barigha Nimi Amangi and the Acting State Chairman of PDP, Barr. Serena Dokubo-Spiff at the Stat INEC Stakeholders Meeting in Yenagoa.
2- Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson (centre) fielding question from Journalists shortly after attending the State INEC Stakeholders Meeting in Yenagoa.

BAYELSA: APC PLANS TO INDUCE VOTERS WITH N2 BILLION FAKE DOLLAR NOTES,PDP ALLEGES

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa State said yesterday it has uncovered plans by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to induce voters with over N2bn fake naira and dollar notes which it also claimed was already in circulation in the state.Making this revelation in a statement made available to newsmen in Yenagoa, the state capital, the Director of Publicity of the Restoration Campaign Organization, Jonathan Obuebite called on the general public to examine the money they are collecting from members of the opposition party. Obuebite, who said the act is a criminal and punishable offence under the law, asserted that the PDP reliably gathered that over N2 billion has been put into circulation by the APC to influence voters in a desperate move to rig the election.He stated that the resort to printing and circulation of fake currencies was due to inability of the APC to raise enough fundssince the high expectation of financial support from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) failed having refused to fund the campaign of its gubernatorial candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva.Obuebite commended President Muhammadu Buhari who, he claimed, personally stopped the NDDC from releasing about N4 billion that was meant to fund APC candidate for the December 5 election in Bayelsa State.“It would be recalled that PDP had prior to this criminal actraised alarm over plans by the NDDC to award phony contracts to fund Sylva’s election. Having failed in this aspect, the party has perfected another plan to induce innocent voters with fake naira and dollar notes that are already in circulation”, the statement informed.The PDP, therefore, called on the security operatives and other relevant agencies to step into the matter and bring the culprits to book.

PHOTO SPEAK: BAYELSA STATE GOVERNOR, SERIAKE DICKSON'S COMMUN ITY TOUR STOP AT OFONI,BAYELSA STATE

1.Governor of Bayelsa State, Hon. Seriake Dickson (centre) on arrival at Angalabiri Town during his Coomunity to Community Meet  the People Campaign Tour in Sagbama Local Government Area of the State.

2.Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson (centre) acknowledging cheers from the mammoth crowd shortly on arrival at Ofoni Town during his Community to Community Meet the People Campaign Tour in Sagbama Local Government Area of the State.

PDP LOCKS DOWN BAYELSA,AS EX-PRESIDENT JONATHAN,PRINCE SECONDUS,GOV MIMIKO,OTHER PARTY STALWARTS PRESENT GOVERNORSHIP FLAG TO DICKSON

Business and commercial activities were temporarily put on hold at the weekend in Yenagoa, as thousands of PDP supporters within and outside the State led by the immediate past President; Dr. Goodluck Jonathan thronged the Samson Siasia Sports Complex, venue of the PDP governorship flag presentation rally.The crowd, which political watchers described as unprecedented in the political annals of the state, further confirmed the supremacy of the PDP and its candidate, Governor Seriake Dickson over other contesting parties.With songs and dances, the party faithful left no one in doubt of their preparedness to come out en mass to vote for the governorship candidate of the PDP, which according to them, has rewritten the political history of the State in the last four years.The security operatives had hectic times, controlling the crowd as market men and women and thousands of the PDP supporters from across the creeks of Bayelsa defied the scorching sun to witness what is being described as the mother of all rallies.Describing Bayelsa state as a PDP stronghold, the immediate past president, Dr. Jonathan in his solidarity message said that, Governor Dickson by all conceivable standards has performed creditably well and is qualified to do a second term in office.He called on Bayelsans, particularly the youths to secure their future by voting for the PDP in next Saturday’s governorship election, adding, Governor Dickson is the only candidate that can secure your future.Describing Governor Dickson as a visionary leader, Dr. Jonathan stressed the need for Bayelsans to reciprocate his good deeds in terms of provision of infrastructure and laying the foundation for investment and entrepreneurship to thrive in the State. According to him,

BAYELSA PDP CLAIMS ELECTION POLL A FRAUD

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa State has discredited a purported polling firm, Election Frontline, over its survey on the forthcoming governorship election in the state which it claimed was sponsored by the All Progressives Congress (APC).In a statement yesterday by the Director of Publicity of the Restoration Campaign Organisation, Jonathan Obuebite, the PDP described Election Frontline as an “emergency polling firm” with no track record of having conducted any election survey anywhere and as such the whole efforts by the firm was nothing but a fraud.Obuebite noted that the party’s checks on the firm revealed it has no fixed address and no record of any polling was found to be associated with it nor has it done anything meaningful as a corporate entity to give any semblance of a going concern that it could ever be seen as a serious organization.

]“We want to alert the general public to disregard the purported polling by the so-called Election Frontline (what a name!) over the forthcoming governorship election in Bayelsa State which, obviously, was sponsored by the APC  for a favourable rating.We are convinced that it was a hatchet job. Our checks showed that” Election Frontline” has no address and no record of ever conducting any polling in the past. Our investigation also revealed that the survey administrator is a well-known fraudster and lacks integrity. The whole phantom election survey is a big fraud and stands discredited as we urge the public to disregard such unwholesome indulgence imagined to mislead the people”.Obuebite stated that the survey administrator had earlier approached the PDP to conduct similar survey but was turned down as it was made clear to him that the party did not need a polling to win the election, adding that Bayelsa voters were too discerning to fall for a fake poll.“The PDP don’t need any form of poll to help us win this election. We are a grassroots party and our candidate enjoys massive support across the length and breadth of the state. We will not only win, we will win by a very wide margin”, he stated.

 

GOV. DICKSON COMMENDS PRESIDENT BUHARI FOR DISCLOSING NATION’S ECONOMIC STATUS

Bayelsa State Governor, Henry Seriake Dickson has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for disclosing the economic status of the country.He urged Bayelsans to brace up for the harsh financial situation facing the state.Speaking during his charge to the new Special Advisers at Government House, Yenagoa, on Wednesday, the governor said the way out of the present economic doldrums is diversification from oil and gas sector of the economy.Dickson said, "Already, you are all aware of the statement by the President that our country is in a very dire financial situation. That comment has attracted a lot of criticisms but I agree with the president that Nigerians are entitled to know the true state of the economy.“Investors who want to do business in Nigeria are entitled to know the true state of our economy. Let me use this opportunity to call on all Bayelsans to listen to what the President has said that the entire country is broke. He has made us understand that the financial situation that we are managing is a national phenomenon. It is not peculiar to Bayelsa.”for the allocation of last month, the Federation Account Allocation Committee could not meet until the past month because they didn’t have money to share to the state and , even when they met for the first time since I took over as governor, states have started getting zero allocation.“I don’t know why people are blaming the president for saying that our country is broke because that is the truth about the economy. States can’t pay salaries, we can’t meet our basic responsibilities. I can’t pay allowances to myself and my staff.“However, even in the midst of that we are managing to pay salaries. Even in this terrible month, we’ve directed that by Monday salaries of workers should be paid.”In his charge to the new appointees, the governor told them to bring their wealth of experience to bear in the present administration’s efforts to consolidate on its achievements.According to him, the new aides are coming into government at a crucial moment of election and, therefore, urged them to join forces with other critical stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) to mobilize support for the party in the forthcoming election.He tasked them to work closely with the state economic team to resuscitate the Bayelsa Palm Limited as the future of the state economy rests on agriculture, industrial development and tourism.The newly sworn in appointees are; Chief Lambert Ototo, Special Adviser on Agriculture and Mr. Olaitari Ikemike, Special Adviser on Industrial Development.

OVER 625, EX AND SERVING COUNCILORS ENDORSE DICKSON FOR SECOND TERM

Over 625 ex and serving councilors under the aegis of Grassroots Forum from the eight local government areas of Bayelsa State on Wednesday put aside their political differences to endorse the incumbent Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson for second term, describing his achievements in four years as unequal.The councilors made the endorsement sequel to a motion moved by a representative of Brass Ward 8, Mr. Precious Daniel and seconded by Mr. Edward Oyaotu at the Banquet Hall of Government House in Yenagoa. Speaking, Chairman of the Councillors Forum, Mr. Tonkumo Igoniwari, said former and serving legislators from 1999 to date unanimously adopted Governor Dickson based on his achievements in the last couple of years, addressing the challenge of infrastructural deficit and issues of security and education in the state.Citing government’s efforts on the construction of the three senatorial district roads, Mr. Igoniwari expressed optimism that in the nearest future, he would be able to drive to Ekeremor.He described Governor Dickson as a true democrat by allowing them to serve out their tenure when he became governor of the state, pointing out that the gesture was a clear departure from the past.Responding, Governor Seriake Dickson expressed appreciation for the vote of confidence passed on him, noting that their support would spur him to do more exploits in the development of the state. The Governor who noted that even key opposition members were endorsing him, disclosing that more endorsements will still come as the election approaches.Describing the councilors as critical builders of democracy, he charged them to mobilize the people at the grassroots and ensure that they deliver their wards, units and local government areas in the coming election.The Governor, who emphasized that the opposition party does not have any structure in the state, said all the 105 councillors are of the PDP, 21 out of the 23 assembly seats belong to the PDP in addition to the PDP 8 local government chairmen. 

BAYELSA POLL: IJAW LEADERS SLAM TAMBUWAL, SAY APC PLANS TO RIG ELECTION

The Ijaw Leaders Forum (ILF), a body of leaders of thought, has expressed concern over the comments made by Sokoto State governor, Waziri Aminu Tambuwal, during the inauguration of the campaign council of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva.The ILF said the comment was a kite being flown by APC to rig theDecember 5 Bayelsa state governorship election.Tambuwal had said at the occasion that the APC will “deliver the state” but which the leaders said suggested a plot to rig APC into power by hook or crook. The leaders had predicated their understanding of Tambuwal’s comments on the notion that Sylva was not a popular candidate and as such could not win in a free and fair election except through rigging. In a statement by the Publicity Secretary of the body, Prof. Friday Brisbie-Williams, on Wednesday and made available to the Press, it took a swipe at Tambuwal, warning that any attempt to rig the December 5 governorship election will be resisted by the people.The statement which noted that only Tambuwal among the five other members of the campaign council constituted by the APC national leadership attended the event, said plans by the opposition party in the state to manipulate the election will fail.It also said the absence of the other members was an indication that Sylva has been deserted because he carries much baggage that could dent their image and should better be avoided.The ILF commended Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, for turning down the offer to chair the campaign council just as the other absentee members were praised for “their sense of decency”.The statement recalled the role Tambuwal was