Yenagoa (Precise Post) – Governor of Bayelsa State, Seriake Dickson, on Tuesday reiterated that the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) lacked the political structure and presence to win the November 16, gubernatorial election.
The Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, in a statement quoted the governor as stating this while inaugurating the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Grassroots Movement for Brass and Yenagoa Local Government Areas of the state.
Governor Dickson noted that the APC in its usual character was putting its hope on luring members of the PDP to its fold with money and fake promises which would fail.
He, therefore, urged party faithful and the electorate not to be deceived by the antics of the party, saying that the APC had been torn apart by unaddressed grievances from the party’s primaries which have made the founders of the party in the state stayed away from the party and its candidate, David Lyon.
The governor further stressed that the leaders of the party were not with its gubernatorial candidate, adding that the opposition party lacked the political structure to adequately mobilise support to wrest power from the PDP.
While noting that a crushing defeat waits the party at the polls, the governor said that it was quite interesting that the APC opted to field a candidate, who lacks the experience and capacity to articulate issues of governance against the PDP standard-bearer, Senator Douye Diri, and his running mate, Senator Lawrence Ewhrujakpo, who are both tested and experienced with exemplary records in public service.
Dickson had earlier in the day received a prominent member of his party and former Caretaker Committee Chairman of Ekeremor Local Government Area, Mr. Tolu Amatu, who defected to the APC three days ago.
He, however, lamented that the APC was banking on electoral fraud through collusion with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and the use of the security agencies to harass and intimidate innocent voters, as well as cause violence.
The governor, who said that the PDP abhors violence, and expressed confidence that PDP would sweep the gubernatorial election in November 16, thanked members of the party for their continued support for his administration in the past seven years and charged them to mobilise support in the various units, wards and communities, as well as work with INEC and security agencies to protect their votes during the poll.
Dickson added: “I want you to take the message to our people about the antics of the APC.
The original founders of the APC, even those who worked for former Governor Chief Timipre Sylva in the state are no longer with their current flag bearer. There are more grievances in the APC and they are not doing anything about it.
“They are concerned about using the federal might and money, and in making promises and luring people of the state and PDP stakeholders. Defectors do not win elections, political parties win elections, parties with structures and superior strategies and planning win elections.
