All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in the November 16 election in Bayelsa State, Chief David Lyon, at the weekend, accused the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of executing many cruel policies, which he will reverse, if elected.
Lyon said the PDP policies had exposed the people of the state to severe hardship.
“Most people can no longer afford school fees for their children and wards as a result of salary deductions and non-payment of pension arrears. This situation will be tackled when my administration comes on board,” he said.
He alleged that security challenges and the poor management of state resources by the current administration had forced many businesses to relocate to other states.
“The problem of insecurity will require the support of the youths, women and traditional rulers to get rid of and together, we can put a stop to it,” he said.
Lyon appealed to the people of the state to join hands with him to stop the hunger and backwardness that the PDP government had subjected them to.
Lyon spoke at receptions when he led his campaign train to different parts of Southern Ijaw, his local government area in the state.
During the campaigns, he also received royal blessings from his Olodiama clan, when the King of the community, King N.S. Orianzi and traditional rulers of the nine communities in the clan, including Olugbobiri, Lyon’s community, prayed for his victory.
Speaking on behalf of other monarchs at the king’s palace in Olugbobiri, the clan’s Prime Minister, Job Ayawei, told Lyon to go, win and bring development to the state.
In Amassoma, the community of the late former governor of the state, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeiseigha, residents came out en masse to receive Lyon and his running mate, Senator Biobarakumo Degi.
Speaking in Amassoma, the host community of the state-owned Niger Delta University (NDU), Lyon condemned the gradual and systematic destruction of the university by the PDP government.
He described the NDU as a pride of the Ijaw race and lamented the astronomical school fees slammed on students of the institution by the PDP government.
He regretted that many students dropped out of NDU because of high school fees, saying the institution would occupy a pride of place in his government, when elected.
Lyon said he was deeply touched by the plight of the students of NDU and promised to pay outstanding bursary arrears, when elected into office.
He said many prominent Ijaw sons died in the struggle to liberate the Ijaw man from abject poverty and observed a minute silence in honour of the late Alameisegha and the three youths, who died during a peaceful protest against increase of school fees and the sacking of workers in NDU.
Highlight of the occasion was the conferment of a chieftaincy title, Amaebidouwei 1 of Ogboin Clan on Lyon by the Ibenanawei of Ogboin Clan.