BAYELSA DECIDES 2019……VOTE WISELY, DOUYE DIRI URGES BAYELSANS

THANK YOU MESSAGE FROM SENATOR DOUYE DIRI

On behalf of myself and my running mate Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, 

I express our sincere gratitude to the leadership, members and supporters of our great party the People’s Democratic Party both in the state and national level, to solidarity groups, as well as religious organizations for a resounding and successful Mega Rally which held today, Wednesday, 6^th November, 2019 at the Yenagoa Boat Club and Ox-Bow Lake Grand Pavilion, Yenagoa.

I want to specially appreciate the 2019 PDP Vice Presidential Candidate and Former Governor of Anambra State; Peter Obi and the National Chairman of our party; Prince Uche Secondus for leading other National Working Committee Members of the party to our State’s Gubernatorial Campaign Grand Finale and for presenting me with a PDP flag to fly our party to victory in the coming election. 

In the same vein, I extend my gratitude to the Governors of Sokoto, Aminu Tambuwal; Bauchi, Bala Mohammed, who is the Chairman of the PDP Campaign Council; Imo, Emeka Ihedioha, Oyo, Seyi Makinde and Delta States, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, for also gracing the occasion with their presence.

Today, gave me another opportunity to reiterate my commitment to consolidate on the achievements of Governor Seriake Dickson and further make our state Bayelsa greater and prosperous for all.

I appeal to all party faithful and supporters in the state both at ward and state level to work assiduously to ensure our party is delivered 100% and brought back to the power come November 16th gubernatorial election.

God Bless You All.

Senator Douye Diri, Bayelsa State PDP Gubernatorial Candidate.

GUBER POLL: GOV. DICKSON CHALLENGES INEC AND SECURITY AGENCIES TO RESETTLE VOTERS CHASED OUT FROM NEMBE, SOUTHERN IJAW LGAs…SAYS INEC NOT GIVING CONFIDENCE TO BAYELSANS
…calls for constructive debates among candidates

By Aferiokha Osigbemeh

Bayelsa State Governor, the Honourable Seriake Dickson, on Wednesday, said the Independent National Electoral Commission, has not given a convincing reassurance of it impartiality in the forthcoming election in the state.

Governor Dickson said that it was rather worrisome and shocking that INEC betrayed the confidence of the Bayelsa people by its collusion with security agencies to rig the last Presidential/National Assembly elections in parts of the state.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, on Wednesday stated that Governor Dickson made the comment while speaking on political developments in the state especially the forthcoming election in a live media chat in Yenagoa.

The governor challenged INEC and other state institutions to exhibit a high sense of professionalism by conducting free, fair, credible and peaceful elections come November 16 in accordance with expectations.

The governor regretted that INEC declared manipulated results in Nembe Bassambiri where security agencies colluded with thugs to chase away voters during the last election to concoct results.

Governor Dickson also called on the security agencies to resettle all internally displaced persons in Bassambiri, Nembe Local Government Area and Peremabiri in Southern Ijaw stressing the need to prevent the disenfranchisement of voters in the upcoming election.

He urged the leader of the opposition All Progressives Congress in the state, and Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, to collaborate with the state government in ensuring peaceful elections rather than promoting political violence.

His words:”The activities of INEC has not given confidence to Bayelsans. People were driven away from Nembe Bassambiri, and they allowed materials to go into volatile areas to declare manipulated results.

“INEC should do what is right rather than colluding with undesirable elements to perpetrate crime.

“The security agencies should do the right thing to return the displaced people of Nembe Bassambiri to their community so that they can vote in this election.

“The leader of the APC, Chief Timipre Sylva, should renounce political violence. He should collaborate with me to ensure violence free polls. He should respect our people, he should fear God, and not take Bayelsans for granted.”

“I condemn the reign of brigandage, in the Bayelsa East Senatorial District. Those who carry out the crimes are not facing trial, and that could have a multiplier effect on other areas.”

Governor Dickson who also described the APC as a party in distress, challenged the governorship candidates to hold healthy debates on issues of governance to enable the electorate assess their capabilities.

He said that the decision of the leadership of the APC to give major appointments to defectors into their party could only point to a party without people and structures which is unprepared for election in the state.

He advised Bayelsans to ignore the sponsored reports of defections into the APC stressing that the elections are not about leaders but the people.

“I will support a debate between the two leading candidates. We are not arguing for and talking enough. Let them talk so that we can assess them running a Government is a serious thing. It is beyond campaign slogans.” He added

The Governor who also commented on the Bayelsa International Airport, said the facility had been registered in the airspace with the technical requirements being concluded and would become operational the next two weeks.

Describing the airport as one of the best in the country, he said the facility will commence operational flights to and from Lagos and Abuja.

“The Bayelsa International Airport is going through the final stages. There are many technical issues to be handled. We should be through with the technical requirements very soon.

“The airport is one of the best, the facilities are among the best in the country and the runway is 3.5 kilometers. We are rounding off the fencing and the final issues.”

“The Yenagoa International Airport is registered in the airspace. We have entered into agreements with some air lines. Our plan is to operate flights to and from Lagos and Abuja.”

On the issue of the minimum wage, Governor Dickson assured that his administration would not hesitate to implement any agreement reached on the issue it is in line with what is applicable to other states.

Commenting on the collapsed Elebele bridge  in Ogbia local government area, Governor Dickson assured that a temporary measure would be provided to alleviate the plight of the people pending when a permanent solution would be put in place.

PDP STATES TRAIN RELEVANT OFFICIALS AT INTERNALLY GENERATED REVENUE (IGR) SUMMIT 2019

By Aferiokha Osigbemeh

The PDP Governors Forum will be hosting the 2019 Edition of the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) summit 2019.

In a statement released by the Summit Organizing Committee and signed by Mr. Patrick PA Okon, the event which is facilitated by Messrs Red Sapphire Nigeria Limited, an integrated marketing communications company that provides Public Relations, Event Management & Marketing, and Advertising Services, in conjunction with the Producers of high-profile Finance programme, “Money Show on AIT”, will feature the Finance Expert, Nancy Iloh as Summit Anchor. 

Titled “The Imperatives of Developing Internally-Generated Revenue Options for State Governments in a Recessed Economy”, the summit is scheduled to hold on Wednesday/Thursday, Oct. 30-31, 2019 at the Ladi Kwali Hall, Sheraton Hotels & Towers, Abuja.

ABOUT THE SUMMIT

The Summit will feature Key Resource persons and Finance Experts with tested knowledge and transfer experience drawn from the IGR/Finance Sector. They will deliver thought–provoking papers and case studies to address as well as proffer enduring and sustainable solutions; aside crafting fresh ideas for the development, generation and effective application of digital formats to improve internally-generated revenue (IGR) strategies and platforms in the states and local government areas (LGAs) in a Recessed Economy.

PARTICIPATION

The expected participants are – State Commissioners of Finance, Trade/Investments, Budget/Economic Planning, Tourism and Local Governments/Chieftaincy Affairs; National/State Assembly Committee Chairmen on Local Governments whose input will generally provide statutory and parliamentary backing for the major determinants and considerations on IGR Resources; SSAs on Trade/Investments, Economy, Finance and Revenue Generation; LGA Chairmen/ Secretaries, as well as Heads of State Boards of Internally-Generated Revenue and Senior Executives engaged in the Development and Management of Rural Economy amongst others.

The high-profile summit will feature the National Chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus as Special Guest of Honour; the Vice Presidential candidate of the party, Mr. Peter Obi, as who will deliver the keynote address on the lead theme while several other speakers, faculty members and renowned IGR/Finance Experts and Consultants drawn from related agencies have been penciled down for the different sessions.

PDP CONGRATULATES NEWLY ELECTED BAYELSA SPEAKER

By Aferiokhai Osigbemeh

The Peoples Democratic Party has congratulated the newly elected Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Monday Bubou Obolo.

The State Secretary of the party, Chief Godspower Keku, commended the members of the House for the peaceful way in which the change of leadership in the House was carried out in a statement on Monday.

Keku also hailed the members of the Assembly for their loyalty and adherence to the unifying ideals of the Party in their dealings.

He described the new Speaker who represents Southern Ijaw 2, as a man of integrity and good party man with the capacity to lead the House of Assembly especially at this crucial period.

The PDP Scribe urged the members to give the necessary support to the new Speaker to enable him to succeed in the important task of making laws for the development of the state.

He also advised the new speaker to provide effective leadership to the Assembly  in order to ensure the confidence reposed in him by the members.

The Bayelsa State House of Assembly elected Rt. Hon. Obolo following the impeachment of the former Speaker, Rt. Hon. Tonye Isenah, by 17 out of the 22 members that were present during the sitting.

BAYELSA GUBER: PDP Youth Network commends party for rescheduling campaign flag off date to avoid clash, violence

… Says Boycott of APC Rally by Lokpobiri, Aganaba, Seibarugo, Angaye shows that the party has failed

By Our Reporter

The Peoples Democratic Party Youth Network has lauded the decision of the leadership of the party to shift its flag off campaign earlier scheduled for Saturday to Monday to avoid clash with the opposition All Progressives Congress.

The group in a statement by its Secretary General James Oputin, said that the PDP leadership displayed a commendable level of maturity by averting the plan of the APC to use a nonexistent clash of rallies  to unleash mayhem on the state.

The group said that the APC planned to cause civil disturbance with thugs imported from neighbouring states to cause civil disturbance at the venue of the PDP rally.

Oputin posited that APC lacks capacity to win free, fair and credible election in Bayelsa state 

He stressed the party’s stock in trade was violence which played out during its kangaroo primary which is being challenged in court by all the frontline aspirants.

He said controversial direct primary adopted by the party was marred by rigging and violence with the results for the election written at a hotel without voting.

He said that development contributed to the non issuance of certificate of return to the said flag bearer, David Lyon by the National Secretariat of the party.

Oputin recalled also that the leading governorship aspirants of the party, Heineken Lokpobiri, Preye Aganaba, and other notable key players stayed away from the flag off of the party’s rally at the weekend because of the undemocratic acts of the party.

He said that the APC was torn apart by injustice and bitterness as many of the supporters who observed the election believe rightly that  Lyon was not elected but imposed on the party by the Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva.

The group, therefore, called on the members of PDP to remain calm and resolute, as the party has all it takes to win November 16 governorship election.