The Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has taunted the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) saying the party lacked required structures to win the November 2nd governorship election in the state.
Dickson, who spoke during the expanded State Executive Committee (SEC) meeting of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) at the party’s Secretariat in Yenagoa said the state APC could only rely on federal might and security agencies in the election.
The meeting had in attendance Chief Thompson Okorotie, Senator Ben Murray Bruce, Chief (Mrs) Remi Kuku, Douye Diri, Senator- elect Bayelsa Central Senatorial District; Fred Agbedi, representing Sagbama/Ekeremor Federal constituency, members of the State House of Assembly, wards and local government chairmen and host of others
At the meeting, the PDP called on its members to shun any act capable of robbing the party of victory in the coming election describing the pending poll as isolated.
The party frowned on the activities of some of its members during the previous elections and cautioned against the repeat of such ignoble act.
The SEC during the meeting also ratified the reports of the disciplinary committee set up to review the activities of some of its members during the last general elections.
But a statement on Tuesday by the Director of Strategic Communication, Governor’s office, Chief Nathan Egba Ologo quoted the governor as deriding the state chapter of the APC.
Dickson said the APC’s reliance on federal might and security agencies would fail them and warned PDP members against anti-party activities.
He said that for Bayelsa to maintain its position as a stronghold of PDP there was a need for members to put aside their differences and work for the success of the party in the coming election.
Dickson insisted that in the coming election, the PDP would be contending against federal might.
He said: “There are two systems that will clash again in this governorship election. They are the state system which I lead with our teaming supporters and the Federal system that will be deployed in this election. As a result, the old way of playing politics must change.
“Bayelsa is a stronghold of PDP. We are going to prove that again with our voters cards in the forthcoming Governorship election. We cannot be intimidated by heavy presence of security operatives and political thugs. They had failed in the past. They will fail again this time around”.
Dickson, who commended the activities of some of the party faithful during the last general elections, said their efforts would be adequately rewarded.
He said appointments would be made at the grassroots level as a way of rewarding persons, who worked for the party’s success.
He promised to constitute chairmen and members of the 32 Rural Development Authorities in the state.
“We have been running our state as one and I hope people coming after us will work together in peace. I appreciate everybody’s contribution. We together created a new Bayelsa and a new leadership style so that we can bring stability and development”, he said.
The governor expressed appreciation to party leaders and members for their unwavering dedication and support to his leadership and the party.
In his remarks, the State PDP Chairman, Mr. Moses Cleopas stressed that discipline was key in restoring order in any organization desirous of advancing its cause.
Cleopas applauded Governor Dickson for displaying uncommon courage in uniting the party at the state and national levels and called on members to sink their differences and work harder for the success of the party.
Also speaking, the Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral John Jonah (Retd), lauded the efforts of the Dickson at uniting the party at the state and national levels and underscored the need for the members to remain resolute in their quest to deliver the state in the coming election.
“Dickson has performed brilliantly in repositioning the economy of the state, as the state now ranks among the growing economies in the country”, he said.
He added that for the present administration to finish strong, Dickson needed the support of all and sundry, irrespective of the political divides.
In his contribution, Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Konbowei Benson said he would seek legal redress in retrieving his stolen mandate at the last general election and solicited support from the party.