Former President Goodluck Jonathan has hinged his support for Governor Seriake Dickson’s re-election bid as one of the most performing governors in the country, based on his excellent track record of regular payment of workers’ salaries, reduction of the state’s huge debt profile and the unprecedented infrastructural development.Governor Dickson last week, submitted his nomination and expression of intent form at the National secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Abuja to contest for a second term in office, ahead of the December 5th Governorship polls in the Bayelsa State.Speaking while receiving Governor Dickson at his country home, Otuoke, Ogbia local government area of Bayelsa State, Dr. Jonathan said, his decision was based on the developmental strides of the Governor in the last 3 and half years in the state.According to Dr. Jonathan, “If Bayelsa is compared to other states in the country, in terms of the level of physical infrastructure, coupled with the degree of indebtedness in terms of bank loans and capital market, Governor Dickson deserved to be praised.”His words: “I am not expecting the governor to score 100%.There are three key parametres I will like to score Governor Dickson, which are payment of salaries, physical infrastructure and low indebtedness of the state in terms of bank loans and in the capital markets. If you compare what has happened in other parts of the country, you will praise the governor. People should think more of about the way the state is being run and prepared for our future generation.”
Bayelsa is not a cursed state. On the notion that governors in Bayelsa cannot do 8 years; it slows down the rate of development and except there is continuation in government, development will be truncated. Performance is not about satisfying individual needs and so we need to encourage Governor Dickson to go for second term.”Describing Governor Dickson as his political first son, the former President noted that, if Governor Dickson was given the opportunity of a second term, he would strive to consolidate on the achievements already recorded.
Earlier in his remarks, Governor Seriake Dickson had solicited the support and encouragement of Dr. Jonathan to run for a second term, stressing that, he and his entourage needed to seek his support, as he is the leader of PDP, both at the state and national levels.
Governor Dickson, who has been canvassing support from stakeholders of the party as well as royal fathers of the state preceding his formal declaration to run for the Governorship election, had earlier paid homage to the Chairman of the state Traditional Rulers Council, King Alfred Diete Spiff.Governor Dickson, who equated Dr. Jonathan’s support to him to the Rock of Gibraltar said, his encouragement dated back to 2005, when he served in the former president’s cabinet as Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice.
Highpoints of both events was Governor Dickson receiving royal blessings for the task ahead.
In a related development, the Acting National Chairman of the party at a stakeholders meeting and dinner, on Sunday allayed fears over the purported plan by the opposition to rig the election, stressing that, the national working committee and other organs of the party would put in all necessary machineries to ensure a free and fair electoral process.
He also assured aspirants, who are jostling for the party’s ticket, of the PDP leadership’s resolve to conduct a credible and zero expenses primaries in the state and thereafter, support the successful candidate to run an effective campaigns in all the nooks and crannies of the state.
Quoting copiously from the scripture, the PDP boss urged Bayelsans not to repay the party that provided the platform for their son and brother and the first minority to emerge president in the political history of the country with evil by voting for any opposition party in the forthcoming governorship election.
According to him, “we have what it takes to mount enough pressure on the federal government in such a way that INEC cannot rig you out. Not even the Police can do that because the Police and Army belong to the Federal Government and not the APC. So they cannot be used to rig you out.
The Director General of the State Security Service, Lawal Daura has shown that he is a member of the APC and he is serving out the APC agenda but we have warned that we are running out of patience. The President should call Daura to order. Hence, when we move on the streets, the international community will see that the APC led Federal Government has anti democratic tendencies. And that should be stopped.
In attendance at the meeting, were the former chairman, PDP Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih, BoT Secretary, Senator Walid Jibrin, National Vice Chairman, South-South Dr. Cairo Ojuigo, Wing Commander Peter Biakpara, Senator Foster Ogola, Hon. Douye Diri, AVM Larry Koinyan (rtd) and King Amalate Turner. Others include, Senator Stella Omu, Osaro Onaiwu, Hon. Rima Shawalo and Hon. Solomon Maren.
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