₦airaland Forum

Information coming in indicates that the by INEC REC will be replaced by another that will be willing to help APC rig election.
The Bayelsa State INEC REC who is also the vice chancellor of the, was the Resident electoral commissioner of the inconclusive Bayelsa state elections which held on the 5th of December 2015; is seen as a threat to the APC because of his adamancy to reject the results that came out of southern Ijaw which showed obvious rigging and manipulation of the highest level.
It has been confirmed that the Presidency is working in hand with APC to rig the Bayelsa State Gubernatorial election which is scheduled to take place in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area. The local government which has the second highest number of PVCs is causing a lot of unrest in the region bringing the rise of killing innocent youth fighting for their rights.
Please my brothers and sisters spread the word, don’t let the APC intimidate and deceive you like they did in the Presidential Elections.

The APC governorship candidate in Bayelsa state has berated his party for abandoning
him, in the most critical time of his life.
Reacting to the statement by the presidency through the attorney general of the
federation; that INEC is an independent body, charged with the conduct of free and fair
elections and neither the President nor the attorney general can interfere in the activities
of the commission.
Sylva has accused President Buhari and the APC of playing Jonathan's script in Bayelsa
state.
" From the very day, I rejected the President's offer to serve as a minister and told him
I would want to run for the governorship seat, I knew they were up to something
sinister about Bayelsa state.
The APC and the President didn't want me to fly the party's flag. They wanted a weak
candidate, to make it easy for the PDP in Bayelsa state. All in a bid to compensate
former President Jonathan. And we know it! The event that played out during the
primaries confirms it all. But for the resistance shown by majority of APC members in
Bayelsa, Adams and his team would have had their way. The plot and hatred was even
extended to my fundraising dinner. They boycotted it and even asked others to do
same. Several appeals were sent to the President, but nothing worked.
It took the intervention of Amaechi and a few others for me to even raise money for
logistics. And that was after I painstakingly, made a case, that we need to win in
Bayelsa to prove a point, and ginger our supporters in the south-south. Failure of which
will mar our political fortunes in the region "
Recall that Sylva petitioned the Attorney General of the Federation to prevail on INEC to
declare him winner of the election in Bayelsa state.

Minister for Information and Culture Alhaji Lai Mohammed has revealed how a minister under the last administration led by Dr Goodluck Jonathan shared public funds to prosecute the last general elections in the country.
“In the latest revelation, a Minister under the immediate past dispensation admitted to sharing 600 million Naira to six Chairmen of the Contact and Mobilization Committee of the PDP for the last general elections, 300 million Naira to an account given by a former PDP chairman, 200 million Naira to a PDP governorship candidate and 100 million Naira to a former PDP governor. This is just one case out of many, yet these revelations are but a tip of the iceberg of what Nigerians will hear in the days ahead,” Vanguard quoted the minister to have said in a statement on Sunday.
He, therefore, advised the leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and members of the immediate past administration who are involved in the emerging cases of looting to urgently return all the money they have stolen to government coffers.
“They are lucky that Nigerians are not as incautious as they are, otherwise they would not be able to walk around freely, not to talk of having the effrontery to fire darts at the government that inherited their rot or the people who are suffering the consequences,” he said in a reaction to a comment by Senate Deputy President Ike Ekweremadu where he said businesses may
collapse in the next six months because the Buhari Administration has mismanaged the economy.
“They looted the billions of Naira that were allocated for the fight against insurgency, causing many innocent and patriotic soldiers to die needlessly, yet they are not remorseful. They looted the treasury to influence the last elections, doling out money as if it was going out of fashion, yet they continue to grandstand,” Mohammed fumed.
Former National Security Adviser, NSA, Col Sambo Dasuki, rtd, ex-Governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafarawa, former Minister of State for Finance, Bashir Yuguda, one time Director of Finance in the Office of the NSA, Mr. Shuaibu Salisu and five others allegedly involved in the misappropriation of $2.1 billion fund meant for the procurement of arms are currently facing trial.

The Bayelsa Restoration Campaign Organization has taken a swipe at the Joint Military Task Force (JTF) for absolving itself of any blame in the violence and malpractices which marred the recent election in Southern Ijaw, saying the security body could have done better to forestall the violence that led to the cancelation of the election.

It has also rejected the position of the JTF on being neutral as the RCO accused it of collusion with others to rig the election.

General Stevenson Olabanji, Commander, 2 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, had at a news briefing in Yenagoa last Saturday regretted the violence during the election and claimed the JTF made a number of arrest just as he stated that Governor Seriake Dickson’s visit to Oporoma on election day fueled violence in the area.

But in a statement yesterday, Director of Publicity, Jonathan Obuebite, blamed the JTF for the security lapse leading to loss of lives in Southern Ijaw because it did not heed advice by the governor and others to postpone the election on account of anticipated violence.

He condemned the JTF for being partisan stating that its officers worked with thugs loyal to the All Progressive Congress (APC) to undermine the entire electoral process in Southern Ijaw.

“It is only fit and proper for the JTF to own up to its failures and apologize to the people of Southern Ijaw for the despicable and unprofessional conduct of some of its officers who clearly were more interested in lining their pockets. It failed to give reasons why it withdrew the military security attached to the governor and giving order for them to be detained, thereby compromising the security of the governor”, he stated.

Even while he commended the JTF on some of its efforts, he nonetheless said they fell short of expectation of the people.

“We expected the JTF to have done much more, knowing fully well reports of arms build-up by the APC leading up the election. The JTF should have adopted a proactive approach by deploying superior intelligence to track down the movement of arms by APC thugs and arresting same long before the commencement of the elections”.

.According to him, the JTF failed to acknowledge that it erred by not heeding the advice of the governor and others including women, NYSC corps members and INEC ad hoc staff to postpone the election and in spite of the gun duel it had with the militants, miscreants all through Friday nightup till the morning of Saturday, which, he said, necessitated a shift in election.

Obuebite noted that even on Sunday, the day of the rescheduled election, security concerns were still at an all- time high, a development which prompted the governor as the Chief Security Officer to visit Oporoma to see things for himself, adding that he acted well within his rights and out of genuine concern.

"Unfortunately the JTF lied that the governor's presence further heightened security in the area. That's so cheeky and it only clearly shows that the military was indeed compromised. The governor went to Oporoma, headquarters of Southern Ijaw LGA out of genuine concern for the security of lives of the citizens. He went there as early as 7am long before the commencement of election."

While applauding the gallantry and professional conduct of some of its officers during the elections, which led to the arrest of some APC thugs and hoodlums, he challenged the JTF commander and Commissioner of Police to reveal the identity of those arrested and their sponsors.

Obuebite: "Much as we applaud the effort of the JTF and the police in effecting the arrest of some suspects and parading same to newsmen, they should have gone a step further to reveal the identities of those arrested and the big wigs in the APC who sent them. Or better still, they should have allowed journalists to interview the suspects arrested to ask them who sent them. The public deserve to know so as to be sure where to appropriately apportion the blame."

Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson has expressed optimism that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would win overwhelmingly in Southern Ijaw LGA anytime the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) fixes the date to conduct the re-scheduled election.
Governor Dickson who stated this at a PDP stakeholders meeting in Yenagoa, described the area as the strongest fortress of the party being the home of the Governor-General of the Ijaw Nation, late Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha.
Describing the election that took place on Sunday as a charade, Governor Dickson wondered why the main opposition party would claim to have scored over 80,000 votes in an area where only 68, 800 PVC's was shared.
According to him, the opposition connived with the military to undermine the security of the electorate and INEC staff in order to manipulate the electoral process knowing fully well that the local government had the second largest voter strength.
Commending the people of the Southern Ijaw for their courage and resilience in the face intimidation and harassment during the last election, the Governor said all what the people desire is for INEC to provide a level playing ground by strictly adhering to the guidelines of the electoral act.

The Niger Delta Defenders Forum (NDDF), a newly formed militant group in the Niger Delta region, Thursday, condemned in strong terms the invitation extended to Niger Delta ex-warlord, High Chief Government Ekpomupolo, alias Tompolo, by the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Abuja.

The NDDF made its position known in a three-paragraph press statement it issued in Warri, Delta State, while reacting to the invitation of Tompolo by the anti-graft body on Thursday.

Spokesman of the group, General Agiligbegha Izonkuro, who signed the press statement said the invitation of Tompolo was unwarranted and unjustified. He lamented that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government was bent on creating crisis in the relatively calm Niger Delta region.

"I want to tell you with every assurance of confidence that this government has nothing to do with Tompolo. They have revoked all his security contracts with the Federal Government when Dr. Goodluck Jonathan was President. So what else do the APC government want from him?", Izonkuro queried.

He noted that the NDDF knew that the development was not unconnected with the APC's quest to take over Bayelsa State, warning that the Niger Delta would boil again if anything happened to Tompolo. "We are watching them. We are closely taking stock of everything that is going on. If it is about the election then they should forget it. The NDDF has already taken its stand. We are not going to betray the Ijaw nation on the altar of politics. We are not going work people who well known to have repeatedly betrayed the Ijaw nation. Anybody that does that is on his own.

"The position of the NDDF on the Bayelsa election is also very clear. We want the people of Southern Ijaw to come out in their numbers to massively vote and defend their votes. We will not betray our Ijaw nation to please our true enemies."

General Agiligbegha Izonkuro, however, stressed that Tompolo would not honour the EFCC invitation, describing it as a ploy to keep their leader out of circulation when he should be going about his lawful businesses in the Niger Delta.

Meanwhile, the leader of the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force (NDPVF), Alhaji Mujahid Asari-Dokubo, has given the Federal Government a week's ultimatum to hands off its alleged plot to rig the governorship election in Bayelsa State and install the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Timipre Sylva.

Asari-Dokubo in a statement issued in Yenagoa on Thursday, accused the Federal Government and its agencies of collaborating with the INEC to rig the election. He warned that except government steers clear of the alleged complicity, ex-militants would return to the creeks to resume agitation with consequences on strategic oil installations.

He stated that in furtherance of this, the ex-militants have regrouped under a new formation known as the Reformed Ex-Agitators of the Niger Delta (REND), which he claimed he is now leading to press for a democratic process in determining the outcome of the election.

The 14 political parties in Bayelsa State that contested the December 5th Governorship election have condemned in its entirety, the electoral fraud that marred the exercise in Southern Ijaw local government area.

Spokesman for the parties, Mr Victor Agbowarite, who made the condemnation while briefing newsmen at a press conference in Yenagoa on behalf of the chairmen of the 14 political parties, noted that, in Southern Ijaw local government area, INEC personnel and materials were hijacked by hoodlums, through the instrumentality of security operatives.

According to the chairmen, the move was aimed at harassing, intimidating and dehumanizing the electorates, party agents and members of the political parties.

They cited the report of outright stealing of electoral materials and massive rigging, open attempt to overrun INEC officials by militants, thugs and agents of a particular political party in Oporoma and Amassoma.

Also, the chairmen of the 14 political parties acknowledged the connivance of some military personnel and militants loyal to a particular political party to compromise the electoral process by carting away sensitive materials.

The statement also condemned the situation, whereby materials were distributed late in the afternoon, accreditation done in the evening and voting in the night, which negates all democratic norms.

They thereby called on INEC to be neutral, transparent and provide a level playing ground for all parties in the re-scheduled election in Southern Ijaw local government area in a free, fair and democratic manner.

They, however, commended the INEC for the peaceful conduct of Saturday’s election, urging all contestants to respect and accept the decision of the electorates in the elections held so far in the 7 local government areas.

The political parties are, SDP, ADC, ACPN, KP, ID, PPA, PPN, DPP, DPC, APA, NNPP, MPPP, UPP and PDC.

Dear Sylva,
If you and ur people are claiming that u had up to 80k votes from Southern Ijaw, then why are u complaining? INEC says there will be another election in Southern Ijaw, why not wait till d next election to get dat same vote? If you know u really got that vote u won't be scared becos u will get it again and again. APC is scared becos they know wat they did. People that came out to vote in Southern Ijaw were not even up to 40k, so how come that outrageous figure? Shame on you Sylva and APC, your plans have failed, your money is finished and you have no where to run to. Even President Buhari has washed his hands from your wahala. TIMIPRE SYLVA, PLS PLS DO THE NEEDFUL AND CALL DICKSON TO CONGRATULATE HIM. You have lost this one, just move on! Bayelsa is PDP and no matter what u and ur people do, the voices of Bayelsans will always be heard. ‪#‎WeWantDickson‬ ‪#‎DicksonTill2010‬ ‪#‎GovDickson2016‬ ‪#‎BayelsaDecides‬

ENAGOA- The Bayelsa police command has banned all forms of procession, rallies or demonstrations in the state.

Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of training and development and Bayelsa Election, Hashimu Argungu in a statement issued in Yenagoa said information at the command disposal revealed plan by some disgruntled elements to carry out illegal demonstrations, processions and rallies in the state capital.

“This form of conduct will jeopardize the ongoing electoral process. Therefore the command warns the intending perpetrators to desist from such acts as it will deal decisively with any person or group of persons who wishes to engage in any conduct that will compromise the existing peaceful atmosphere,” he warned.

Argungu urged members of the public to go about their normal businesses, “as the security agencies are poised to guarantee the safety off lives and properties.”

HAPPENING NOW!!!
The home of the acting Chairman of PDP, Chief Serena Dokubo, is under siege. Heavy shooting going on and all efforts to get help from security has failed. The chairman has put out an urgent S.O.S., saying that his life is under threat.

Ward 10, unit 1, Amassoama, Southern ijaw LGA: pro APC youths thugs planning to destabilise and turn votes in favour of APC, no election materials, INEC staff or security personnel in sight yet.

In Oporoma headquarters of Southern Ijaw, Tiwe Oruminighe and Ex-Militant Ogunbos as early 6.30am led thugs to open fire at the local govt to disrupt the distribution of election materials.

The sporadic gunshots led to the death of 4 people as JTF tried to repel the rampaging armed thugs.

An eye witness confirmed that gunshots still rents the air as the JTF has called for reinforcement.

Similarly, reports just coming from Brass says PDP supporters are currently being attacked with guns and machete. The people are calling on the security agencies to deploy more of their men to the area.

Also in Nembe Bassambri reports of deadly attack by thugs aided by military and policemen is currently going on. A member of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly Princess Ingo Iwowari was also attacked and stripped of all her personal belongings, including cash.

The security agencies should as a matter of urgency deploy more of their men to the area.

Already, five APC thugs have been arrested in Oporoma in the house of a former House of Representative member, Hon. Donald Egbrebi. They were arrested with A.K 47 and other ammunitions in their possession.

In Ekeremor, a younger brother of the Minister of State for Agriculture, Heineken Lokpobiri, who is popularly known as Teco, led armed thugs supported uniformed men dressed in police and army uniform brandishing sophisticated weapons, in the early hours of today, started moving from house to house, especially houses belonging to key PDP leaders to open fire on them. The situation went on for awhile until help came through the deployment of soldiers to the area who brought the situation under control.

these are the lines that have been released for bayelsans by the state situation room to report any incidence that is happening in your various polling units and local government. if anything that isn't right is going on, please endeavour to call these numbers.

09026180291

09023648332

07010533122

Report reaching us says there is thumb-printing of ballot papers currently going on at Hoil Suite in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa capital.

Although, it is not clear which of the political parties participating in tomorrow’s governorship election the thumb-priting favours, but report has it that the hotel is owned by a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

Unconfirmed report has it that the former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC, and aspirant in the last governorship primaries of the All Progressives Congress APC, Chief Timi Alaibe is making last minutes arrangements to defect to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He is scheduled to address his supporters at his Kolokuma /Okpokuma local government area of the State shortly.

Details later

http://www.leadership.ng/news/480552/bayelsa-guber-alaibe-makes-last-minute-defect-pdp

SHORTLY after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) released the time-table for the Bayelsa governorship election and scheduled it for December 5th, Governor Henry Seriake Dickson of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was tipped to emerge the flag bearer of his party and the candidate to beat in the election. His chances were fur­ther boosted in September when the All Progressive Congress (APC) had a rancorous governorship primaries, a situation which made many Bayel­sans believed the party was not ready to rule the state.

However between September and now, with Bayelsans preparing to file out on Saturday and vote for the next governor of the state, Dickson and former governor Timipre Sylva who emerged the APC candidate in the rescheduled governorship primaries are now running neck to neck in the race for the governorship seat. The two candidates enjoy a robust cam­paign organisation headed by tested politicians. Hon Fred Agbedi, mem­ber representing Sagbama/ Ekeremor Federal constituency in the House of Representatives as Director- General of the Bayelsa Restoration Campaign Organisation (BYRCO) for the PDP while Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development is the Director- General of the Sylva/ Igiri Campaign Organisation (SICO).

Beyond the effective campaign organisation which has projected their candidates as the favourite, in an unprecedented campaign in a governorship election, Dickson and Sylva have traversed the length and breadth of Bayelsa state wooing vot­ers ahead of Saturday’s governor­ship election . They have done it better than Moses Siloko Siasia of the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) and the remaining nine can­didates. The PDP has campaigned on three major planks in its quest to neutralise the rampaging APC whose ranks continue to swell day after day . Even political appointees, and aides of Dickson have helped in nudging up APC as some have dumped the PDP for the opposition party.

The PDP has not left anything to chance . The first leg of its cam­paign has been the performance of its candidate and the incumbent Gov­ernor whom it has praised for the infrastructural development in the state and the enthroning of a sound security network that members in­sist has created the enabling environ­ment. According to the party since the creation of Bayelsa state in 1999, no administration has performed bet­ter than Dickson in the dualization of roads, investment in education and construction of the first flyover bridge. Former governor of Kano state and former minister of Educa­tion, Mallam Ibrahim Skekarau was to capture the performance rating of Dickson during one of the campaign trips to Kolokuma/Opokuma this way:

“It is evident that the contri­man governor is well loved by his people and going by what I have seen here today, he will win the Decem­ber 5 election. I believe it will just be a formality. I must thank you all for believing in your governor and standing firm behind him in his re-election bid. I want to admonish you to remain steadfast. The PDP will no doubt carry the day come December 5th. I am really impressed. This is not just a campaign, it is a carnival. It is a celebration of victory and I am so happy to experience this open show of love first hand. Of course, your governor has led well and with per­formance”.

The second leg of its campaign has been the branding of the PDP as an Ijaw party which gave a son of Bayelsa state in the person of Dr Goodluck Jonathan the chance of becoming the President of Nigeria. According to the argument, the APC with the Yoruba and the Hausa/ Fu­lani in an alliance forcibly took power from an Ijaw son. Therefore in con­tinuation of its narration, Bayelsans must rally round the PDP and prevent the APC from taking over Bayelsa because the Ijawland has never been a conquered zone. For them the goal of APC is to win Bayelsa and finally humiliate Jonathan after losing at the centre using the likes of Sylva. They have therefore implored the people to reject APC which it described as an enemy that wants to overrun the Ijaw nation.

The third plank of PDP campaign has been what they described as the image deficit of Sylva as the APC candidate. According to their argu­ment, Sylva’s alleged dismal perfor­mance between 2007 and 2011 in all indices automatically disqualifies him from contesting as governor. They listed the corruption allega­tion; the use of a special security outfit code named Operation Famuo Tangbe and huge debts as factors that should make Bayelsans reject Sylva to return to the Government House. Dickson has argued continuously that Sylva has no business being a gov­ernor of Bayelsa because he has no vision for the state.

APC has its own message and strategies. It has also campaigned on three major strands which it believes would convince Bayelsa that the party remains the best choice before it on Saturday to produce the Gover­nor. Coincidentally the quashing of the corruption charges against Sylva by an Abuja Federal High Court has boosted his electoral fortunes . APC had consistently argued that PDP has been all out to demonise him in its bid to hoodwinked Bayelsans that he was a failure as governor between 2007 and 2011. In fact Sylva insists the PDP destroyed all his legacies af­ter he was forcefully removed from office by the PDD using Federal might.

Hear him “I was governor be­tween 2007 and 2012. It was a very turbulent tenure. But then we were able to achieve a bit. When I came there was near absence of internal roads in Yenagoa and we built quite a lot of them. We gave the contracts to some Bayelsans because I believe Bayelsa money must circulate within Bayelsa. Yes some of the contrac­tors did not deliver well but many of them deliver quality projects. We completed the peace park so that Bayelsans can have a nice place to relax. The Melford Okilo hospital which we reduced from 500- bed to 350 was billed for commissioning in May 2012, if I had not been removed from office. All the equipments have been bought and they allowed all of it to rot. Even the Diete Koki which was a world class hospital we built was also allowed to rot, all because they wanted to vilify me that I did not do anything. In order to paint me as failure, they punished Bayelsans in the process”

Its second selling point has been that unlike Dickson which it main­tained has not paid attention to the welfare of Bayelsans especially civil servants, pensioners and students, Sylva during his tenure did not un­necessarily imposed taxes on the civil servants; was paying pension­ers, local government workers were not owed and students were enjoying their bursary. Its argument has been stretched further that the local econ­omy was booming with the people having the purchasing power. Sylva has promised the people that the APC government would not impose taxes on them to punish them and would ensure that the civil service is allowed to function with over head, allowances and promotion exercise restored.

The APC has campaigned vigourously against the branding of the PDP as an Ijaw party noting that the only Ijaw party known in history was the National Solidarity Move­ment (NSM) founded by late Chief Melford Okilo. To strengthen their argument that Bayelsa state cannot afford to remain in the PDP which is now in the opposition, Sylva’s hench­men contended that Okilo realising that the NSM would be in the minor­ity decided to align with the majority PDP so that the Ijaw people would not be left behind in the quest for de­velopment.

Perhaps in a bid to put it a proper perspective Sylva said those label­ling PDP as an Ijaw party are doing so for selfish reasons in their desper­ate attempt to deny Bayelsa and the Ijaw people the opportunity of join­ing the mainstream politics which he contended is the only sure avenue to attract development to the state . He argued that this has become more im­perative given that the PDP has been dislodged by the APC at the centre .

Undoubtedly the race is between Sylva and Dickson with Siasia not expected to pull any surprises, while the other candidates would just add up the figure. In line with constitu­tional provisions Section 179, aside having the highest number of votes, the winner must also secured at least one quarter of votes cast in two-thirds of the eight local government areas in the state namely Yenagoa, Southern Ijaw, Ekeremor, Sagbama, Nembe, Brass, Ogbia and Kolokuma/ Opo­kuma.

If the crowd at the different rallies and campaigns grounds are anything to go by, then it is safe to assume that Bayelsans are really interested in the governorship election . The extent of enthusiasm by the people was further demonstrated by the huge turn out in in the continuous voters’ registration and the collection of the Permanent Voters Card (PVCs). There are however genuine fears of violence which might cause voters apathy. The political parties and their candidates have signed a peace ac­cord but the threats being issued by ex-militant leaders against one anoth­er is a source of concern which might discourage the voters from coming out to vote. The Police and other security agencies said they have put necessary machineries in motion to create an enabling environment for INEC to conduct the election. The In­spector- General of Police, Solomon Arase has said 14,000 Policemen are to be deployed for the election to en­sure that Bayelsans are allowed to vote freely for the candidate of their choice.

Another issue of concern is the allegation by the PDP that the APC is boasting of using Federal Might to rig out its candidate. They have fingered INEC, and some top gov­ernment officials in the plot to install Sylva as the Governor. The APC has insisted that it does not need the so-called federal might because the rat­ing of Dickson has plummeted to an all time low that it does not need any assistance to defeat him the polls.

Dickson voiced out his fears in a stakeholders meeting which had in attendance the IGP, INEC manage­ment team led by its Chairman Prof Mahmood Yakubu and other stake­holders.

“Now on INEC there are concerns arising from what some parties and their candidates are posting that they don’t need the votes of the people and that they have resolved to just write and announce results. These are things that whether true of false, go to colour the atmosphere under which an election is held”

Yakubu has allayed his fears that INEC would not be party to the ma­nipulation of the Saturday election.

“Our commitment to the people of Bayelsa state is to deliver a peaceful election in line with the Commission mission statement of providing cred­ible electoral services consistent with the principles of equity, justice and fair play. All our plans and prepara­tions have been geared towards this outcome. And let me say that nobody can determine who the next governor of Bayelsa becomes, not even the commission but only the people of Bayelsa state”

By Sunday evening when results from far flung local governments would have been collated, an in­kling of the side the pendulum would swing to would be on hand . For now, it is all about conjectures and predic­tions .

Governor Seriake Dickson has challenged the Federal Government to absolve itself from claims made by supporters of the main opposition party in the state, the All Progressives Congress, APC, that federal might will be deployed to manipulate the December 5 poll in their favour.

He also called on voters who participated in the last continuous voter exercise to go collect their permanent voter cards from the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission and other designated centres to enable them participate in the state governorship election billed for Saturday.
Dickson who spoke at a stakeholders meeting organised by INEC Tuesday in Yenagoa said name-dropping should not only be dismissed with a wave of the hand but properly investigated with a view to prosecuting those behind such unfounded claims which according to him, are capable of making the electorate lose confidence in the credibility of the electoral process.

The governor also stressed the need for people occupying sensitive positions in federal agencies to be mindful of what they say and do in order not to heat up the polity.

“But my position as governor and even as a candidate is that security agencies need maximum support as they have the support of the government and people of this state to move against anybody whether the person is a member of the PDP, APC or any party, there should be no discrimination.

Elder Wilberforce Igiri the All Progressives Congress, APC, running mate who represented the APC candidate, Timipire Sylva at the event lamented the killing of one of their supporters in Ekeremor Local Government Area and attack on APC convoy at Biseni.

He said “In Ekeremor Local Government Area, one of our supporters was murdered. Also, our convoy was attacked in Biseni in Yenagoa Local Government Area. My 103 year old mother was also kidnaped because I am contesting an election, please the Inspector General of Police should please help us to investigate the these issues..

The chairman, State Waterways Security in Brass local government area of Bayelsa State Hon. Bello Bina has said he would go on exile if Chief Timipre Sylva of the All Progressives Congress (APC) wins Saturday governorship election in the state.

Speaking with journalists in Yenagoa yesterday, Hon. Bina said the people could clearly see the difference between the APC and PDP, saying only governor Seriake Dickson’s re-election would consolidate the gains made in the areas of security, infrastructure in the last four years.

“The people should look at the personalities of the duo of the incumbent Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson and Chief Timipre Sylva. They consider the fact that a man without a home in his state cannot govern the people. Sylva has never won elections in Bayelsa State. If Sylva wins the December 5 election, I will go on exile.

“If Sylva had the low allocation that had been well managed by the Seriake Dickson administration and achieved this level of development, the state would have collapsed.

“Dickson’s security policy is good and has achieved desired peace. The decision by Sylva to run for Governorship race instigated increased criminality. But the present administration is on top of the situation and has identified elements responsible,” he added.

Ahead of December 5 governorship election in Bayelsa state, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of plans to arrest some of its members with strong and influential electoral support base.

The allegation which was contained in a statement by the director of publicity of the Restoration Campaign Organisation, Jonathan Obuebite, said the APC was planning to destabilize the party and its electoral chances.

“We have it on good authority that the APC plans to frame up these individuals by planting weapons and ammunitions around their houses and then invite the police and JTF operatives to search their houses with the clear intention of implicating them in trump up charges of arm running,” he stated.

“The APC know too well that they can’t win in a free and fair contest and that’s why they are doing everything to rig the election. But we are confident that the authorities will be alive to their duties and ensure protective measures are taken to forestall any moves by the APC to rig the election.”

The party therefore called on the relevant security agencies to investigate the alleged plot and arrest those who may be behind it.

The statement listed those to be arrested to include Hon. Bonny Ayah, specialaAdviser to Governor Seriake Dickson on Youth and Secretary of Bayelsa Volunteers; Hon. Tolu Amatu, a staunch PDP stalwart in Ekeremor; Joshua Maciever; and Pastor Reuben Wilson.

https://www.naij.com/653768-bayelsa-poll-pdp-raises-alarm-alleged-conspiracy-apc.html

THE SYMBOL OF SILVA'S CAMPAIGN TRAIN HAS BEGIN DEPICTED BY THE SYMBOLIC VIKINGS BACKDROP. COLORS,SWAGGER AND FLAIR OF A CULTIST!

DURING THE APC PRIMARIES HELD AT YENOGOA RECENTLY, MEMBERS OF SYLVA'S VIKING GROUP CHASED THE EDO STATE GOVERNOR ADAMS OSHIOMOLE OUT THE STADIUM AND ALMOST WAY-LAYED THE OPPONENT TIMI ALAIBE SAME TIME.

THESE REBIRTH OF CULT GROUPS WHICH SYNCHRONIZES WITH THE EMERGENCE OF TIMPRE SYLVA AS THE APC FLAG BEARER IS NOT A SURPRISE TO US AT ALL AS THEY HAD ALWAYS BEEN THERE IN THE GUISE OF FAMOU TANGBE, WHERE THESE TRIGGER HAPPY CULTIST, SHOT AND KILLED EVERY YOUTH IN THEIR WAY.

YES TIMIPRE SILVA HAD RECENTLY ADMITTED TO BEING UNSCRUPULOUS WHILE IN OFFICE, HIS EXTRAVAGANT LIFE STYLE AND ADDICTION TO HARD DRUGS LIKE HEROINE AND COCAINE HAD HELPED PLUNGED THE STATE INTO A SEEMINGLY IRREPARABLE DEBT, BUT THANK GOD FOR GOV. DICKSON, WHO HAS SHOWN BAYELSA THE TRUE DIVIDEND OF DEMOCRACY!.

THE SHELL HAS HATCHED THE TRUE TOUT IN THIS CANDIDATE AND MORE TO COME AS SECURITY OF THE STATE IS ONE OF HIS ACHILLES HEEL AS HE HAS USED THESE CULT GROUPS TO A POINT HE MUST REPAY THEM AS GOVERNOR TO THE DETRIMENT OF THE PEOPLE OF BAYELSA!!

VOTE FOR THIS BEAST AND SUFFER FOR 4 YEARS!..

FORGET WHAT HE PORTRAYS IN HIS POSTER BANNERS, WE TRULY KNOW HIM AS WE THREW PURE WATER ON HIM THE LAST TIME HE CAME OUT TO CAMPAIGN, WE CAN STILL DO IT AGAIN!!

At 12 noon, the APC Social Media gurus have not shown the world what is happening at the Samson Siasia sports complex.

They may be ashamed of posting scanty and poor attendance of people at the grand rally they organised to garner support for the party, but shamefully there is gross low-level turnout due to the fact that the party will not make any headway in the coming December 5th, 2015 election.

The wise ones have decamped in their thousands back to their real parent party, the PDP. Those who are still remains in the drowning canoe should use the small opportunity and rush back to the umbrella party before it is too late.

Meanwhile, the faithfull PDP women are gathered here at the peace park for a women empowerment programme at the peace park, Yenagoa, Bayelsa state. Here Helen Bob, PDP women mobiliser is with a great crowd of PDP women across the state for a women empowerment programme.

The PDP women are like their male counterparts remains faithful to the end. They are here to show solidarity their leader, the governor Henry Seriake Dichon.

Come December 5th, the women have vowed to vote massively for their governor, Henry Seriake Dickson.

Ahead of Saturday’s governorship election in Bayelsa State, the Peoples Democratic Party Governors Forum, (PDPGF) has alleged that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) was plotting to rig the poll using cloned Permanent Voter Cards, (PVCs) and fake security agents.

The PDP Governors Forum in a statement issued in Abuja by its Director General, Earl Osaro Onaiwu, said it was aware that the ruling party had brought in Information Technology experts of Indian nationality to effect the PVCs’ cloning in order to circumvent the electoral process in Bayelsa State.

Onaiwu claimed that “ the Indians, numbering five, are lodged in a hotel owned by an APC chieftain in Port Harcourt, where the card cloning process was ongoing.

‘The APC is desperate to capture Bayelsa state as an oil-producing state which fits into the party’s inordinate ambition to take over all oil-producing states.

‘To achieve this dangerous plan, the APC brought in five Indians, all IT experts, to help them clone PVCs for the Bayelsa governorship election. We are raising this alarm so as to alert Nigerians, the INEC and the international community on the machinations of the APC against democracy and the right of the people to freely elect those that should govern them”.

The party further called on the INEC to demonstrate its independence and commitment to free, fair and credible election by being vigilant and ensure that “ it does not kowtow to the whims and caprices of the APC by ensuring that only authentic cards are used.’

The PDP Governors also alleged that part of the sinister plot of the APC was the procurement of police and military uniforms for agents of the party to wear on election day to achieve its plans to rig the poll.

The governors on the platform of the main opposition party urged the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Sunday Arase, the DSS and military authorities to guide against the infiltration of their ranks by fake personnel of the APC. ‘The Forum appeals to the Inspector General, DSS and military authorities to ensure that only real personnel are on the field on election day and not fake APC agents who are already kitted in police and military uniforms to rig the Bayelsa poll for the party.

‘It is important to remind the security agencies that their failure to check mate any perceived illegality by the APC will seriously undermine their integrity to safeguard the people and could seriously erode the people’s confidence in the ability of the various security organs to guarantee their safety,’ Onaiwu said.

The Bayelsa State Police Command yesterday confirmed the arrest of five members of the All Progressive Congress (APC) over alleged trailing of the convoy of former President Goodluck Jonathan in the state.

But the command said the suspects were not ex militants as reported by a section of the media but persons who mistakenly followed the convoy of the former President thinking it was that of their principal.

Jonathan was alleged to have been trailed by some suspected militants allegedly working for the All Progressive Congress in the state, according to online report.

The men, who were alleged to have intercepted and drove into a short motorcade conveying the former President from the Julius Berger bridge area of the state capital, trailed and chased the motorcade to the entrance of the private residence of the former President at the Kpansia suburb of Yenagoa, before they were overpowered and arrested by a combined team of security operatives attached to the former President.

The Bayelsa police command spokesman, Asimin Butswat said the suspects were not ex militants as rumoured but persons who mistakenly followed the former President convoy thinking it was that of their principal.

He said, “our preliminary investigation showed that these were not ex-militants but boys who mistook the former President ‘s convoy for their principal.”

Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party have alleged advanced plans by the All Progressives Congress to clone Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) and make use of fake security agents to rig the December 5 election in the state.

The PDP governors added that as part of the plan to rig the election, the APC has allegedly brought in Indians to create the clone PVCs in in order to alter the people’s will in Bayelsa state stating the ruling party knows that it cannot win without malpractice.

This allegation was made known by the director general of the PDP Governors Forum, Earl Osaro Onaiwu, in a statement in Abuja on Sunday, November 29, where he alleged that about five Indians working for APC were lodged in a hotel owned by an APC chief in Port Harcourt and were already in the process of cloning the cards.

“The APC is desperate to capture Bayelsa state as an oil-producing state which fits into the party’s inordinate ambition to take over all oil-producing states which was proposed by Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State.

“To achieve this dangerous plan, the APC brought in five Indians, all IT experts, to help them clone PVCs for the Bayelsa governorship election. We are raising this alarm so as to alert Nigerians, the INEC and the international community on the machinations of the APC against democracy and the right of the people to freely elect those that should govern them.

READ ALSO: Jonathan, Dickson Commission “Defected, Uncompleted” Bridge In Yenagoa

“The INEC must demonstrate its independence and commitment to free, fair and credible election by being vigilant and ensure that it does not kowtow to the wimps and caprices of the APC by ensuring that only authentic cards are used, “ the governors said.

The Forum added that the APC has procured police and military uniforms for agents of the party to wear on election day to perfect the rigging of the election.

The governor therefore called on security agencies in the country to live up to expectation and thwarted any move to rig the Bayelsa gubernatorial election in favour any party.

As the battle for the Creek Haven Government House in Yenagoa reaches its crescendo, the former Deputy Governor of the state and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Chief Peremobowei Ebebi has accused All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate and former governor of the state, Chief Timipre Sylva of squandering N50bn in two weeks.

Ebebi who was Sylva's Deputy for over three years before he was impeached, begged the people of the State not to vote the APC candidate due to financial recklessness and wasteful spending while in office.

But Sylva in a statement through the Director of Media and Publicity of the Sylva campaign organization, Chief Nathan Egba, described the former Deputy Governor as childish and his allegation as unfortunate.

According to him, "it is unfortunate that Ebebi chose such platform to make this childish allegation after many years after leaving office. It only shows his shallow grasp of the processes of government. He spent all his time as a Deputy Governor under Chief Timipre Sylva in pursuit of pecuniary gains and never paid attention to what was happening in Government."

Last Saturday’s mega rally and the flag presentation to the Peoples Democratic Party PDP governorship candidate in Bayelsa State, Governor Seriake Dickson was the culmination of his nearly one month community to community, meet the people tour in which he traversed the length and breadth of state reaching out to all the communities and also passing the night in some of these communities with the message, “vote for PDP for peace and stability.”

The epoch making event, which took place at the Samson Siasia Stadium, Yenagoa witnessed yet another unprecedented crowd of supporters of the PDP who besieged the venue as early as 7am for an event billed for 10 am.
In spite of the sweltering sun, the thousands of supporters waited patiently for the commencement of the event dubbed mother of all rallies, which did not start until about 1.55pm when former President Goodluck Jonathan arrived the venue in company of Governor Dickson.

The former President took time to go round the venue to acknowledged cheers from the teeming supporters.
Security operatives had a hectic time controlling the crowd as the various support groups of the party and its candidate battled to outdo one another with their dance steps and giant banners echoing their support for the re-election of Governor Dickson.

Though the All Progressive Congress APC is expected to hold its mega rally, today at the same venue, political observers in the predominantly riverine state are unanimous in their view that the presence of the former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, the National Working Committee of PDP, some PDP governors, an array of National Assembly members from the state and the South South among others was symbolic of the preparedness of the party to maintain its control of the state and ensure the region remains a PDP stronghold.

The former president, who graced the occasion, in his solidarity message restated his unapologetic support for Dickson amongst other contenders, insisting that he (Dickson) will take Bayelsa to a greater height.

Describing Bayelsa State as a PDP stronghold, Jonathan declared that Dickson by all conceivable standards has performed creditably well and is qualified to do a second term in office.

He called on Bayelsans particularly the youths to secure their future by voting for the PDP in the Saturday election noting that Dickson is the only candidate that can secure their future.

Dr. Jonathan described Dickson as a visionary leader and stressed the need for Bayelsans to reciprocate his good deeds in terms of provision of infrastructure and laying of the foundation for investment and entrepreneurship to thrive in the state.

His words, “for the past 16 years, being a pioneer deputy governor and an Acting governor at the state level, a vice president and president of our country, I am in a pposition to say that Dickson has tried and is still trying.”

The former President who also commissioned the first flyover in Yenagoa and the newly dualised Azikoro Road also in Yenagoa shortly after the rally added, “We should all be concerned about what Bayelsa will be in the 25 years and beyond and not what we want to gain today. You can only see that from the kind of policies, projects and programmes that a governor brings.”

Performing the flag handing over ceremony, the Acting National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus lampooned the Buhari led federal government for running the nation’s economy aground six months into office and urged Bayelsans to totally reject the All Progressive Congress APC in Saturday’s election.

Prince Secondus who noted that the PDP was aware of clandestine moves being made to rig the election, called on the electorate to come out en mass to vote for the PDP and stand firm to defend their electoral rights.

Also, the chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko described the APC government as clueless and without direction in managing the national economy.

In his speech, Dickson said the flag presentation was the climax of his community to community meet the people tour stressing that from his interaction with the people, he was convinced that PDP would emerge victorious.

He reiterated his commitment to a peaceful poll and stressed the need for the federal government to do everything within its reach to ensure a free and fair election in state.

He expressed appreciation to the National Working Committee of the PDP and his teeming supporters within and outside the state, noting that the turnout has further confirmed that the people of the state have rejected the leading opposition party APC.

Among dignitaries at the flag presentation are the Acting Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, Haliru Bello, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, Vice Chairman, PDP, South South Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, Chief Olisa Metuh, serving and former National Assembly members including Senator Adolphus Wabara, Ibrahim Mantu, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, Hon Leo Ogor among others.

APC candidates dont follow due process cause they believe their man is on sat, but am sorry to say SYLVA must taste defeat cause he is a looser and doesn't deserve to rule our Beloved Bayelsa again

Fresh from one leg of his campaign tour of communities in Bayelsa where he recorded rapturous receptions, Gov Henry Seriake Dickson fielded questions from the media on the forthcoming governorship election. Basing his confidence of victory on his widely acknowledged record of performance, he asked his main opponent: how many 'monkey bridges' did you build? Excerpts:

QUESTION:

What informed your decision to embark on a community -to- community campaign? With what you have seen so far how much of democracy's dividends would you say has really flowed down to the people at the grass root level especially in Brass and Southern Ijaw Local Government Areas?

Governor Dickson:

I want first of all to use this opportunity to thank the chiefs, elders, leaders and the good and wonderful people of the communities and Local Government Areas and Wards that I have been to so far for their outpouring of love and support and encouragement. It was touching to see school children wearing uniforms that my government supplied carrying banners in appreciation of their Governor and praying for me for the investments I am making for their future. That is a lasting dividend of democracy: the investment in the future of the state, in the hearts and minds not of a few Yenagoa -based critics and Abuja- based politicians. I saw hope and appreciation in the faces of our people, we got gifts from every community and political leaders. our people do not know any other political party contesting for this election other than me as the candidate of the PDP. I saw the massive outpouring of genuine love and support from the chiefs, elders, youths, women groups.

Well, you asked why this community to community tour? Part of what I am doing and have been doing is to quietly in my own way change the way politics is played in this state. The level of maturity and tolerance I have brought to bear on the politics is such that you see the opposition campaigning against me as vigorously as I am also campaigning. That is happening for the first time. When the APC's Chief Timipre Silva was governor, you saw what he did. Even the primaries in his own party was filled with shooting and holding people hostage. When he was here as Governor, anybody who wanted to campaign against him will be attacked. One of his supporters, Chief Rufus Abadi, knows what happened to him in his house at Otuan. But some of our people have short memories. I want to challenge my opponent Sylva to do same and sleep in the communities as I am doing, instead of bragging about federal force. No one knows him at the federal level other than he was used to unseat his brother. Let him go to our communities and relate with them freely as I am doing.

I sat in a dining hall built by my Government in Okugbie one of the investments we have made in all the communities. We are not where we want to be yet but we have made a difference and they appreciate the roads and they are all waiting to receive me. The last community on my way was Ayama and all Tarakiri communities. They were very receptive such that for three days they did not go to the forest or farm, they waited for me for two to three days, to encourage me. I cannot thank them enough. It is my prayer that after the election I will go back on this community tour because it has also opened my eyes more which is the central purpose of this Government: to see the people's material conditions and how much I have tried to solve all their problems and to see what remains to be done.

These gentlemen called APC are trying to take our state nowhere. Despite the old names, their communities do not appreciate them, they have no support. I have done what no government has done before, spent two nights in Southern Ijaw, one night in Korukoreseigh which is my speaker's community. The enitire ward waited till about 8pm when we got there. We commissioned their pavilion, a road that we did, they also have the schools and investments that are there. All we are doing is to consolidate so that by God's grace those boarding schools will start by January and I cannot wait to see these children that I saw in all the communities wearing smart clean uniforms provided by the Restoration Government, with books supplied. Our children are bright and because of the investments we have in education they can compete with their mates elsewhere. That is why I am not surprised that our educational rating has gone up from 28 in the national chart to fourth in WAEC results. If we achieved this within this short period then imagine what will happen when i consolidate with all these twenty five constituency schools coming on stream?Where have you seen that kind of investment of over twenty six billion naira put in and concrete jobs in the communities and the communities are seeing, it so they know it is not just talk.

I do not see anybody seriously contesting against me, not even my good friend and brother Sylva and his APC. They are only holding meetings in Abuja and threatening their own fathers and mothers and brothers that they will use federal forces to come and over run their own people for their own purpose not for the development of our state. This is a man who had been here for 5 years, where are his statistics of development? What did he do for Bayelsa.He is only playing on the nature, fears and greed, the envy and jealousy of our people. There is nothing in their politics for the people of Bayelsa state other than putting some bad belle people together to fight me. Because I did not allow them to go to Senate for a third time so I must not go for Governorship. Even the people in their communities know they have a Governor they can trust, they know when I make a promise I keep it. All the promises I made in the course of the Tour I am fulfilling right away.

Leadership is about trust and responsibility, building not destroying. So anytime somebody talks about destruction you know that is not a leader but a gangster, a criminal. It is because of the weaknesses of Nigerian institutions that these people have been allowed to grow the way they are and people mistake them for leaders. You cannot be seeking the mandate of the people and saying ''Whether you like it or not I will bring soldiers" as if you are the one who employed them and saying Nigerian troops are at their beck and call. Are Nigerian troops members of APC?They want to just destroy our institutions and our country. PDP was in power for 16 years, Lagos and other states remained in opposition does it mean Jonathan could not order troops before he conceded defeat?

Sylva said pensioners have not been paid. I am the one who said that our allocation is unfortunately low, even offices do not have allocation, I am sorry that is the situation but I gave my word and true to type we have started paying. When he was here he was not paying them for years, I have the records, he was owing over 6 billion naira in gratuities. Someone who could not manage N15-16 billion, can he manage N4.2 b that we are receiving now? Out of which we are still paying his debt. The bond he took runs till 2017.Do you think Sylva has changed overnight, that there is no record of his killings? I went to communities and they were telling me statistics of young people that were killed by Operation Famutangbe under Gov. Sylva's watch, go to Amarata they will tell you the number of young boys they lost. But the good news is that the communities, the voters are the ones that matter in an election and they are with us which is another paradigm shift I am introducing in the politics of this state. After this election you will see that never again will someone call himself or herself a political leader merely because you have held one office and you are staying in Abuja, Lagos or Yenagoa. I went to Kpansia, the community waited 2-3 days for me and I got there at night, same for Opolo and they welcomed me, gave me a sword and tied wrapper on me when I got there because they believe in me. If Bayelsans are self respecting and you want other Nigerians and people to look at you the Ijaw people with respect, then this is not the time to embrace APC. Ijaw people will not be put to shame.

From the ministerial position they gave you can see how they rate Bayelsa. From a state that lost Presidency, where our only permanent secretary has been removed, only God knows what happens next. Our highest customs officers retired. They say we got minister of State for Agriculture I say no it is assistant minister, in effect it is minister without portfolio.

The truth is that Bayelsans must wake up, the elites must learn to put the people's collective interest ahead of their own selfish interest. Timipre Slyva went about promising people governorship and he became the governorship candidate, he also promised everybody the position of deputy governor and he failed them. This is the Jerusalem of the Ijaw nation and cannot be given out to a man like Timipre Slyva, a man that has never succeeded in anything he does. You saw him perform as Governor, let him tell us the opponent he allowed to campaign freely as I am doing now. Even though I disagree with him he has the right to campaign all over the State and I urge everybody to give him respect but do not vote for him, do not support him. When he comes to tell you what he has to say, ask him questions, why he allowed Famutangbe to kill people when he was governor. Ask him his record of security and how he intends to secure you going forward? Why he did not do all I am doing, schools, uniforms? Ask him what he did with the bond he got? Ask him why he apologised to the whole world and Nigerians for electing Jonathan? You cannot be one of us and go that far and expect there will be no consequences. You might not agree with Jonathan but It was wrong for him to have gone as far such that if God from this small state gave us the presidency, he was the instrument of people to destroy the presidency. I know what Timipre Slyva is planning, I know he does not forgive people.

Question:

When re-elected into office, what are those things you would do which could not be accomplished in your first term?

Answer:

By the grace of God and by the support of the people, we have started a lot of mega life changing projects. I came in here to make maximum impact within the available resources and time. Unfortunately our finances dropped precipitously. Last month we got N4.2b and after paying Sylvas bond which we will keep paying every month till 2017 we manage to pay salaries, pensions. We cannot even pay allowances of people working with us, and we are not alone, all states and even federal Government are affected. Therefore the second term is to be dedicated to completion of most of these life changing projects that are almost at completion stage because every project has a gestation period. People like to see magic because of the energy we started with and because we had resources we were putting everything in and now people think I am distracted. I am not, it is a question of finances. Look at the airport, and ask Sylva why did he not do the airport. He played politics with everything, cleared a site and put a signboard before the first block was laid and got an ailing president to come and commission it!

Since I took over I have not fought Sylva, I just drew a line below his abysmal record and did things differently. I am the one who has security background. In our younger days I started as a police man and probably He was a subject of interest to the police even at that time so our background is clear. We know how to fight but in the interest of peace I do not believe in using government powers to bring people down. Politics is about using the power God gives us through the people to build and change lives .But for God's sake if you cannot help a man, leave him alone do not go and shoot him and his children. I know what happened to the airport, not to talk of the Nembe- Brass road that so much money went into. You all know me and that is the difference between me and him. If you drive to Amassoma road now you will see the Airport. I have awarded the contract for the installation of the navigational instrument. FAAN has come to do the certification. In the next couple of months we will be landing there.
I thought they said the flyover was built by the Federal Government but now they are not saying that anymore. Ask Sylva why he did not build a structure like that. He calls it monkey bridge. How many monkey bridges did he build? He could not dualize the Azikoro road that we finished and that is the road they are using, going about wielding brooms. There is the dualization of Isaac Boro road. Such big projects have a time line. So if there is a shortfall within that period, the completion time elongates naturally.

If you ask me about projects I will focus on, we need to complete these projects. Look at Igbogene bypass, That road is 35-36 kilometres. We have already done the bulk of the job. When you owe a contractor because of what happened, contractors will leave and it is all over the country even with federal government jobs. So by the grace of God after the elections God willing, these are the things to complete. We will start certain things but they will be minimal because we want to finish all these ones because they are almost 80% completed. Look at the Igbogene bride that they ply on, ask Sylva why he allowed those 1950 bridges to be there until I came in. The bulk of that work is already done leaving just the sand filling of the second lane, so in 3-4 months that work is finished. That is how to work for a people. We did not do that just to get praises. Nobody in APC can close their eyes and say we have not made any difference because we have made a fundamental impact. Look at the Transparency Building he started, but did not complete it. I have spent more money on those buildings than he did.. We are going to complete these life changing projects and then the schools, because that is where the real future of our state is. By the time I finish this boarding policy, they will be the best. We must also do the fencing of those compounds and the teachers will be re-trained as the teachers training institute is set.
You can imagine where Bayelsa will be with Governor Dickson in the next 2 years with these projects finished. That is what Sylva cannot do because he does not have the discipline to manage lean resources. He does not have the vision and the passion and commitment. This job is not for 'guy men' but for a country man who knows the people, shares their problems and works for them. If you like him because he fought his brother and you want to reward him like Judas got 30 pieces of silver, no problem. If he is not good enough to be President Buhari's minister, then our message which we must send outon the 5th of December to President Buhari and all the people in INEC and military is that we Bayelsans say he is not good enough to be our governor.

QUESTION:

What do you think will be the effect of the peace accord you signed with the other parties?

Answer

I signed because that was the right thing to do. My campaign is about peace, development and prosperity. You hear me ask people to accord Sylva the respect that is due him. I am not a man of violence unlike those who are merchants of violence and cultism. I believe that a political leader and anyone aspiring to lead people must show example and our society can only develop when you have peace. We have been able to achieve so much because of the prevailing peace and we want it to get better. That is why our PDP campaign is not about promises of what we will do. I hear my good friend went to Lagos to unfold a four point agenda, he did not even have the courtesy of unfolding it to BAyelsa people but he wanted Lagos people to give Bayelsa people a Governor that is why he went to Lagos and it was his own few friends that were present. We are not perfect but we must try our best not to deliberately hurt our fellow man. I am talking about peace, I educate Bayelsans and tell them their rights to go and vote not with cloned PVCs. The police will arrest those with cloned PVCs. We do not need violence in the PDP to win any polling unit, the supporters are there, they will vote, they will stay there and protect their votes. The votes will be counted and result will be declared. Luckily INEC has spoken up, law enforcement will be at every polling unit, I have sensitized community leaders in every community so nobody will come to any community to intimidate the overall community. Besides this is one single election where the entire country will be watching. They do not know the dynamics of this election and my advice to Sylva is he should withdraw from the race because he is not campaigning or talking about issues and our people have rejected him.
> I have a message for the one percent of our population in APC; please do not say we did not warn you, you do not have a candidate. Your candidate is not electable. Bayelsa, the Ijaw land has no space for APC; that our people have confirmed to me during our tour. Nobody can intimidate the Ijaw people. Resist intimidation in your communities and wards. Some people have been winning elections without elections actually taking place but this is different, and nobody has power to carry materials to his house as people used to do and announce results because this is a PVC-based election.

QUESTION:

On a final note,what is message do you want to send out to all our communities?

Ans:

My message is one of gratitude and appreciation to the communities, chiefs and leaders and the good people. Women groups also were very receptive. I needed boats to transport the plantains, fish, snails and other things they gave to me. I cannot thank them enough. I am really humbled and grateful that I have this opportunity to serve you. I have told them that after the election, having voted me in as they have promised to do, I intend to go round and thank them.

For the communities that I am yet to visit, Countryman is coming your way so get ready to engage me. I am coming to see you problems and hear from you to know how to serve you better.

To my good friend Sylva, let him engage me on the issues.I am looking forward to an opportunity to debate his record of abysmal failure of leadership, service and development to our people, failure of security that cost loss of lives when he was governor and I hope he accepts that offer of a debate.

To our people, thank you very much for your support and encouragement. Continue to stand by the PDP, continue to vote PDP and stand by me as you have done. We are determined to serve you. The Ijaw national interest demands that we stand together right now and not allow ourselves to be distracted or divided because of small benefits and promises which they will not fulfil. We are not perfect but we are better off working together. So to you Bayelsans I say together we are marching forward.

People of BAYELSA do not be deceived by the re-assurance of Timibre Sylva, for he is the same man that brought pain and agony to our people and introduced the FAMOU TANGBE a group which was meant to protect the citizens of the state, but went ahead to kill innocent individuals and made the state to be the most insecure in the country. I believe its still very fresh in our memories how he was stoned pour water sachet by his own people, and still has an unsettled debt of 20 Billion with the EFCC

He still remains a bully who limited the freedom of speech, ordered the flogging of anyone who went on National Television to speak with an open mind or gave a constructive criticism. He promotes cultism, use of weapon and violence. He even went on National Television to discriminate projects that have been carried out by the incumbent Governor claiming the bridge he built is in a wrong location and used the word "My Project" instead of "My Governments Project"in most of his comments and even self acclaimed to be the most corrupt and victimized governor by the EFCC.

Is this the man which we Bayelsans will want to come and rule again? After spending 5 unaccountable years as the Governor, our leading party APC couldn't come up with a better candidate, organizing 2 primaries before being selected as the sole candidate with the party leader insisting Sylva needs help and also running for his life for security reasons.

Follow the link below and be reminded of the kind of person who Sylva really is and vote wisely come December 5th.

https://www./1477421665906175/#

https://www./1477421665906175/#

He was known for introducing the FAMOU TANGBE, a clot that was meant to protect the people but ended up putting the lives at risk and making the people to live in fear, anxiety and distress. He still has an unsettled case with the EFCC where he has to account for N16M that he stole while he was still governing the state. Was stoned with pour water sachet by his own people, and we all know those memories are still fresh in our minds.

Bayelsans don't be deceived by a man who claims to have changed, but went on national Television to personalize projects he claims his government started and those that were commissioned. The road leading to his village was built by the present gov Seriake Dickson. what a shame..

watch the video below and use your heads and hearts while casting your votes. your vote is your voice.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CD0AXQuEAKg&feature=youtu.be&a

Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bello Haliru Mohammed, says Governor Seriake Dickson deserves to be re-elected at the forthcoming Bayelsa governorship election of December 5.

Mohammed made the statement on Tuesday, during a meeting of the National Campaign Committee on Bayelsa State 2015 Governorship Election.

The BoT Chairman of the opposition party said Dickson would defeat Timpre Sylva of the All Progressives Congress, because the party has significantly bettered the lot of the people of Bayelsa since 1999.

Mohammed also added that Bayelsans are pleased with the people-oriented policies and programmes of the party in the state, hence victory is certain.

“It bears no repeating that our party means business in this election hence the setting up of this high-powered committee to lead party faithful to Yenagoa and ensure that the flag of our great party continues to fly in the Bayelsa State Government House come December 5. Our mission.”

Ahead of the December 5 governorship election in Bayelsa state, campaigns and verbal attacks have continued to heat up as Governor Seriake Dickson’s camp of the Peoples Democratic Party fired a shot at Timipre Sylva, the All Progressives Congress flag bearer in the forthcoming poll.
The director general of the Bayelsa State Restoration Campaign Organisation of Governor Seriake Dickson, Fred Agbedi during an interview in Yenagoa over the weekend said that the governorship candidate of the APC is not electable and has been rejected by the people of Bayelsa, The Punch reports.

The statement was a clear response to the Sylva campaign team for lashing out at the governor over his recent endorsements for second term in office by some groups and traditional rulers in the state.

Describing the purported endorsements as vanity and a charade, the Sylva campaign team said that Dickson was giving the impression of being popular when he knew full well that his popularity had dropped sharply stressing that such endorsements would not would not in any way make the election favourable to him.
However, Agbedi who is also a member of the House of Representatives does not agree with the former governor’s campaign team. He said that the acceptability of Dickson was genuine.

On the issue of former APC members who returned to the PDP Agbedi sat that they did the right thing by decamping to the ruling party in the state.

The director general said that the action the returnees took was the best stressing that the APC candidate has been rejected in Bayelsa in the full glare of every Bayelsa person.

“The APC candidate, Timipre Sylva, has been rejected by the people of Bayelsa,” he added.

Subsequently in his reaction to Dickson’s endorsements for a second term in office by some groups and traditional rulers in the state, Chief Nathan Egba, the director of media and publicity, SICO, noted that the state governor was only just deceiving himself.

Egba said: “Before the presidential election, there was a spate of endorsements. Every group, House of Assembly, local government chairmen and traditional rulers that endorsed former President Goodluck Jonathan also endorsed Dickson. And now, there is another round of endorsements.

“The simple question now is: have those earlier endorsements expired? And if those have expired, what is the life span of these new ones? Are they not going to expire before the December 5 governorship election?
“You can see that these endorsements are an exercise in futility. And as you know, vanity upon vanity is vanity. He is engaged in vanity. It is a charade. Dickson is trying to create an impression of a popularity which he lacks. Dickson’s popularity has plummeted and he knows it.”

He said that the repeated rounds of endorsements of were a clear indication of desperate attempts to create a sense of acceptability among the people of the state.