We will win, says Dickson as PDP begins campaign in Bayelsa

THOUSANDS of supporters turned out in Yenagoa on Monday as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) inaugurated its campaign for the November 16 governorship election  .

The National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, was represented at the event, which attracted thousands of party faithful across the eight local governments, by the Vice Chairman (South), Emmanuel Ogidi.

The party also received defectors from the All Progressives Congress (APC), led by a former APC stalwart from Sagabama Local Government, Miebi Bribina.

Addressing the crowd, Governor Seriake Dickson said only PDP had the political structure to win any election in Bayelsa State, adding that the party controlled the grassroots with its eight local government chairmen and 105 ward councillors.

The governor listed his achievements in education, health, road infrastructure, political stability, among others and noted that the development was brought to the state by the PDP.

He said through the party, many youths have been given appointments, adding that his administration will  engage more youths in governance.

Dickson told the crowd that one of his big-ticket projects, the Bayelsa International Cargo Aiport, would take off within the month, “no matter the antics.”

He described the PDP candidate, Senator Douye Diri, and his running mate, Senator Lawrence Ewrujakpor, as a ticket of stability, predicting that Diri would succeed him by God’s grace.

He said: “We are presenting a ticket of stability, a ticket of development. The indigenes don’t want a ticket that will turn this state to a gathering of hooligans and criminals where people will be running away as they did  before. This is why we are presenting this ticket and by the grace of God, your next governor in 2020 will be Senator Douye Diri.

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“There is no government that can claim to solve all problems of a state or of a country. There are many things we have done. There are a lot of things that are ongoing and so many things we plan to do. All of these, Douye Diri and his new government from February will continue and complete.

“This election is about you and your future. It is not about Governor Dickson. By the grace of God and with your support, I am today the longest serving governor in the state. Just as we defeated them with their so-called federal support in 2015, we will defeat them with bigger margins.

“Unlike the other party that didn’t even conduct primaries, that continue to bring candidates from their pockets and show to the world sometimes in hotels and drinking parlours, we the PDP organised a very serious and hotly contested primary election.”

He asked the APC leaders not to use federal might for politicking and elections, but should deploy same in developing the state, adding that the PDP had continued to champion development in the state.

Dickson advised the Petroleum Minister and former governor Timipre Sylva to use his position to bring development to the state, saying he had yet to impact positively on the state since he joined the APC.