DICKSON CALLS ON PDP DEFECTORS TO RETURN, SAYS ELECTION NOT ABOUT HIM

Bayelsa State Governor, Henry Seriake Dickson, has called on all former leaders and members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) to return to the party without further delay and join him in his re-election for the development of the state. His call came yesterday in the light of what he felt were the” humiliation and betrayal” meted to them by the APC leadership in the state, which had rendered them onlookers in the quest for political participation and relevance.He also noted that, the opposition party did not represent any viable alternative to peace, unity and development of the state, reminding them that the APC leadership in the state only had a repressive and retrogressive past, which will not serve any better purpose in this dispensation.While stressing that the forthcoming election was not about him, but for the greater good of Bayelsa State, Dickson urged all PDP defectors to put their grievances behind them and join hands with him to uphold the interest of the state and the Ijaw nation above personal interest, adding that none of them could afford to allow the state slid into the dark days of the past.“We may have had our differences, but in the light of current realities, it is only desirable that all our former members return to the PDP and join hands with me for greater development of Bayelsa State. Certainly we cannot afford a return to the dark days of our past and allow the state slid into anarchy, killings, maiming, kidnappings, cultism and state-sponsored terrorism directed at political opponents.The harrowing experiences of many Bayelsans, who fled into exile in neighbouring states and far-flung places, under the APC candidate when he held sway as governor for five years remain vivid and should not be allowed to be repeated.

This is why we have to reason together and make amends”, he said.He charged Bayelsans not to be afraid or be intimidated, but come out en-mass and exercise their civic duty on election day, assuring them that, adequate security will be provided to ensure voting takes place all across the state in a peaceful atmosphere.He allayed the fears of rigging, saying nobody can rig the election, adding that the votes of every Bayelsan will count and results will be declared in every polling unit.

He stated: “Let me assure you all Bayelsans that the fear of rigging in this election, reasonable as it sounds, will not be possible. Nobody can rig this election, because the whole world will be in Bayelsa to monitor the process. Your votes will count. When you vote on election day, wait and be a monitor yourself. There will be adequate security and all key federal institutions that will be saddled with the task of conducting the election such as INEC and law enforcement agencies will be fully on ground to ensure there are no hitches or give room for manipulation in favour of a particular candidate. Your votes will count”.