The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP candidate for this Saturday’s governorship election in Bayelsa State Barrister Serikae Dickson was unveiled to the electorate last Friday in the state capital, Yenogoa. Following the formal presentation of the party flag, the candidate sat down with a group of visiting journalists during which he responded to issues arising from his candidacy and also articulated his plans for the state. Excerpts:

How the restoration movement begun and what has it been able to achieve so far?
We have been in the restoration movement for a number of months. What was seen today was an example of what we started in a very humble way months back.

It is very remarkable. It is such a remarkable campaign of ideas. It is remarkable because of our abhorrence of violence. Since we started the campaign the level of violence, even in this state has come down. There was sensitization, instruction and education here and there. The people you saw at the rally were not a paid crowd. We are going through a transitional phase. The people came out by themselves.

How do you intend to reconcile the members of the party that are presently at loggerheads with you?
Most of what you see as a crisis is even exaggerated when you look at it from the outside and that accounts for why you saw the crowd. It is actually a pointer to the fact that the situation you referred to as a crisis may not really be as frightening.

Yes, as a result of the circumstances, leading up to my entry into the race and the signs that took place thereafter till now I agree with you that there were some divisions. But politics is never ever devoid of division. I have been in it for quite a while and it’s never ever without division. Even within the same tendency, we have such.

But going forward, I am a conscientious team builder. I am a team builder and being that really helped in the evolution of the new PDP in the sense that, we have been able to throw the party open and embraced all stakeholders. You may be aware that former Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, Timi Alaibe and quite a number of others have been at the fringes of the party.

All major stakeholders in the party have really been at the fringes of the party. Only one small tendency held sway. The tendency that we assisted to get into power in 2007 was a tendency that was not even noticeable because it has no presence. And that was as a result of inability to build consensus and work with the stakeholders. Immediately after the primaries, I promised I was going to rebuild the party.

We knew that the platform has to be robust enough in going forward. And we did reorganise the party in several ways, set up the elders’ committee which wasn’t there, and has not been meeting.  Now, we have very senior stakeholders of the party heading various LGAs caucuses on the platform which wasn’t there so stakeholders now feel free. They now have a sense of belonging. The real stake holders of the party are now back.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/02/how-i-will-rebuild-bayelsa-dickson/

The way your mentor GEJ did.

Na today?

talk is cheap,lets wait and see.

[b]DICK[/b]son is amazing name

Dickson

Mtcheewww, bunch ☺₣ noise-making, thieving liara! They're ÄŁĻ the same

as if we are still snoring

He has not outlined how he was going to rebuild Bayelsa

Rubbish!

I was watching this [b]DICK[/b]son guy the other day on TV, there is just something about him that kept reminding me of Agbero boys of Oshodi before Fashola intervention.

Is it all u guys can say? Comon guys I trust this guy and I have d confident in him dat he can make different, doubting him means ur also a bad egg "uka-adigi ajo njo na-afo"

Have u become d governor OH u believe in rigging urself in

Not yet but I promised u that I will be one in future, d gud leader I mean. U guys doesn't really know that these ppl visit NL and they read these things "speaking from xperience bcuz one called me sometime ago GOV. IBORI himself from Dubai a week before his arrest"

We don hear. Welcome.

victorazy:

Not yet but I promised u that I will be one in future, d gud leader I mean. U guys doesn't really know that these ppl visit NL and they read these things "speaking from xperience bcuz one called me sometime ago GOV. IBORI himself from Dubai a week before his arrest"

Well, if they are listening and "ACTUALLY" log onto NL, when they know people don't really trust them and their cups is gradually filling up everyday, they will get back to work.

For him to rebuild that means there must've been a previous collapse. So when exactly did the collapse occur? During Silva 4yr reign or even during his godfather's reign?

Dickson should be = "Manliness-son" on nairaland Seun you forget?

Politicians and their talks. Am tired of listening ooo

Politicians and their talks. Am tired of listening ooo

Pray he will not be worse than Slyva
Saw the dude speaking @ an election rally two days back during a sponsored program on Channels and he was the same 'ol 'Water, light, jobs' etc promises
To top it, it was said disinterestedly
Anyway na the people of Bayelsa wan elect another Frankenstein
Wish them well

You have nothing to offer. Just chop ya money and get out of that office - This is your year of "Breakthrough"