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By Amos Okioma, Yenagoa
Ahead of Saturday’s governorship and House of Assembly elections, Bayelsans have been urged to deliver the 24 members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who are contesting for seats in the state House of Assembly.
Governor Seriake Dickson stated this while addressing political appointees, stressing that all political appointees should work assiduously to deliver their wards, units and communities for PDP candidates.
He said Bayelsans they should ensure that were not intimidated, harassed and prevented by the APC “whose intention is to win election by brute force, as what they did in some areas during the previous presidential and National Assembly elections was nothing but a rape on democracy and reign of cultism and terrorism by the APC, and their antics should be resisted come Saturday, 9th March 2019.
The governor stressed that the people should make sure that APC is not allowed to win a seat in the next House of Assembly and condemned the party (APC) over alleged manipulation and cancellations in areas considered the stronghold of PDP, adding that those “who claimed victory with connivance with security agencies and INEC should be ready to return their chances to PDP at the tribunal as there are enough evidence to prove that APC which is a party of cultists and terrorist exhibited all manners of electoral violence and stealing of 63 card readers during the elections, hence no amount of stockpiling of arms and hijacking of electoral materials will be tolerated.
He urged the security agencies to be professional in their duties, but not connive with INEC to rig the elections in favour of APC. He described as barbaric, “the kidnapping and manhandling of the DCP by terrorists orchestrated by the former governor, Timipre Sylva and his cohorts who instead of using his influence to attract Federal government presence, but invited security agencies to kill and maim innocent Bayelsans who went out to perform their civic responsibilities, Agbere a rural community that has not witnessed crisis was invaded with over 100 soldiers with intent to rig the election for APC.”
He said that what happened in Nembe, Brass and Southern, “where impostors arrogated victories to themselves, would be revalidated in the court as APC was made of cultist and terrorist, but PDP candidates were most qualified for the elective posts,” and used the opportunity to not only condemn the shooting to death of the Government House photographer, Reginald Dei and PDP ward chairman, Tari Seudugha at Oweikorogha in Southern Ijaw.
He also averred that the party after now will deal with party members who worked against PDP, just as he urged the disloyal members of PDP who were culpable to redeem their image by ensuring that they make up for the losses incurred during the presidential and NASS election, especially in Southern Ijaw where there were reported cases of PDP members who were influenced by APC to work against their legitimate party, an offence which is anti – party that attracts severe punishment.
The meeting was attended by all political appointees and party faithful, but the Speaker of the Bayelsa State House, Rt Hon Konbowei Friday Benson who was defeated by Hon Preye Oseke of APC for the Southern – Ijaw Federal Constituency was conspicuously absent even at Monday’s meeting of the PDP at its secretariat.
Earlier, the special adviser to the governor on Political Affairs, Chief Fineman Wilson had reiterated the importance of the meeting that was convened to direct all political appointees to mobilize their supporters to ensure that all the 24 members of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly were elected come Saturday 9 2019.
He called on all PDP members not to be intimidated or terrorized by APC and security agencies, adding that Bayelsa is PDP and that the status quo should be maintained.