…As PDP Flags Off Operation Mop Up Campaigns in Yenagoa.
The Peoples Democratic Party’s efforts at clinching a landslide victory in this Saturday’s governorship election received yet another major boost when over 500 non governmental organizations (NGOs) and Governor Dickson Support Group declared their total support for the party’s candidate, Senator Douye Diri.
The NGOs and the Support groups which embarked on road shows and solidarity marches for the PDP in different parts of Yenagoa brought the state capital to a standstill as their activities coincided with the Operation Mop Up campaign rallies of the party.
Addressing the groups at the DSP Alamieyeseigha Memorial Banquet Hall on Monday, Governor Seriake Dickson expressed gratitude to their various leaders and members for their unflinching love and loyalty to the PDP.
The Governor said that “no party will command this kind of followers largely made up of vibrant youths and ardent supporters without winning any election convincingly.”
He noted that the groundswell of support from different groups including women, traders and religious organizations have put to rest the doomsday prophecies of sponsored naysayers that the PDP would implode shortly after its hotly contested party primaries.
According to the Governor, contrary to such wild speculations, majority of the aspirants have not only shown sportsmanship by congratulating the PDP candidate but also playing key roles towards the election of Senator Diri as his successor.
His words, “I thank you all for coming out to declare your support for our candidate, Senator Diri, who clearly is the best of all the candidates contesting the governorship of our dear state. The ever growing popularity of our party has put the opposition and their sponsored doomsday prophets to shame.
“The PDP which is the only party that can win election in this state is waxing stronger by the day. What did they not say about us and our party primaries? They said the PDP would disintegrate after the primaries but the support base of our party as you all can see is increasing everyday.
“And it will remain so for a long time because our people will not forget in a hurry what the PDP has done for us. It is PDP Government that has brought development to our state. It is PDP that gave us the first minority president in this country who is our own brother.
“It is the PDP government under my watch that has provided a peaceful, stable and secure environment for business and social activities to thrive in our state.
“Today our state is respected everywhere and we must keep it so. That is why we must all come out to vote for Senator Diri. We must not allow people who do not value human lives to occupy the exalted
office of the governor again.”
In his remarks, the PDP Governorship candidate, Senator Douye Diri also thanked the NGOs for adopting him as their preferred candidate in the November 16 election.
Senator Diri who noted that although the Honourable Dickson-led administration has raised the bar of performance expected from all future governors of the state, he would work hard to take the state to a greater height.
Speaking on behalf of the various groups, the Leader of Peace Vanguards, Comrade Ebimobo Kiri, said the NGOs painstaking assessed all candidates gunning for the position of the governor before settling for the Senator Diri and Ewhrudjakpo ticket.
Comrade Kiri highlighted the several years of public service, level of education, competence and exposure as some of the factors that informed their choice of Diri as the best candidate to support.
He also used the opportunity to commend Governor Dickson for his achievements in office especially in the area of security, stressing that before the advent of the present administration Bayelsa was regarded as a violent and militant state.
Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on NGOs, Hon. Michael Magbisa said he pleaded with the various groups to accept a common date for their declaration and solidarity rallies to avoid frequent disruption of human and vehicular movements in Yenagoa.
In a related development, the chiefs and people of Onopa and Ovom communities in the Yenagoa metropolis have endorsed the candidacy of Senator Diri.
They declared their support for the PDP and its candidate when Governor Dickson led Senator Diri and his runningmate, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo on he calls Operation Mop Up campaign rally to the areas.
In their separate remarks, the Member representing Yenagoa Constituency 1 in State House of Assembly, Hon Oforji Oboku, Commissioner for Solid Minerals, Mr Markson Fefegha and a former APC chieftain, Hon Lecky Tamama, assured the PDP of more votes in the two communities.
Addressing the people, Governor Seriake Dickson thanked the Epie/Atissa people, noting that the PDP was not campaigning in the area as it is a stronghold of the party.
On his part, Senator Douye Diri assured that the investments laid by the present administration in education, healthcare delivery would be expanded in addition to women and youth empowerment.
