Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State
Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State has continued to harp on unity in his party which he reechoed on Tuesday when members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) were in his office to witness the defection of some All Progressive Congress (APC) members to the PDP.
The Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Francis Agbo, said in a statement he issued after the meeting in Government House, Yenagoa with the PDP leaders that over 6000 people were said to have defected from the APC to PDP.
Agboh said Dickson maintained that the PDP could not afford any disunity, especially now that it is in opposition.
The Governor, he said, assured that he had forgiven all of the returnees whom he described as friends and brothers, and harped on the need for politicians to focus on development after elections, in the overall interest of the people.
His words: “The PDP you left behind is not the same now. At that time we were in control of the Federal Government. But now, as you are all aware, we are in opposition. And, if we needed one another at that time, now that we are in opposition, hounded from all corners, this is the time we need ourselves more for the sake of our people, the Niger Delta and the Ijaw nation. We can’t afford any distractions.
“I don’t extend political fights beyond elections. All of you know, if when we want to fight, we know how to fight politically. The reasons why I don’t fight political battles after elections, especially in our kind of our environment is because we don’t have people compared to other nationalities and secondly because of the challenges of development with scarce resources are humongous. Instead of dissipating my energy on fights, once elections are over, I concentrate on development.
“I don’t like people using political power to affect people negatively. If you can’t affect somebody positively, leave the person alone, because we are all brothers and friends. Each one of you is very important to our people. We have built the PDP to the level that only it can win election in the state.
“I tell people all the time, that power as we know only comes from God. We are going to have a PDP’s stakeholders meeting. You are all welcome to the party; you are not joiners. I hereby direct all your caucus chairmen to instruct all your chapter chairmen and all your party officials to make you relevant for I want to see you involved in party activities from the ward to the state level.
“I have no hard feelings, all bygones should be bygones. Let all of us come back to the way we were. I have two more years to go but it is still in my power to do a few things to promote further integration.
“We have made significant progress but we are still not where we want to be, so I call for more unity and support. We inherited a very negative and volatile political culture but we have managed to maintain some level of peace and stability. It is a conscious choice of avoiding needless fights and it is paying off.
“Our prayer is that God should give us the next team to lead the state. It is my duty to support and pray for that team.”
In their separate remarks, the state Chairman of PDP, Cleopas Moses and Special Adviser to the Governor on Political Matters, Fyneman Wilson described the return of the APC members to the PDP fold as homecoming.
They said that their return would add colour and value to the party.
Some of the defectors at the meeting include, Ben Eyeororokumo, Stephen Erebor, former Commissioner, Bayelsa West Senatorial district, Augustine Lugbenwei, onetime Chairman, Brass Local Government Council, Nathaniel Ngo-Sylva, Franklin Otele, Charles Emmanuel, among others.