BREAKING NEWS, Politics
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The Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum urges President Muhammadu Buhari not to meddle in Bayelsa supplementary governorship Polls on January 9
THE Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum, PDPGF, have warned that President Muhammadu Buhari and other relevant agencies of government should desist from interfering in the supplementary election scheduled for Bayelsa State on Saturday, January 9.
The PDPGF, also expressed confidence in the ability of Governor Henry Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa to sweep the poll, adding that his numerous achievements in all sectors of the economy in the state were commendable.
The group, which said the presidency should ensure a hitch-free exercise, contends that “this is the greatest change the present administration could bequeath to Nigeria.”
Olusegun Mimiko, chairman of the forum and governor of Ondo State, issued the warning during a courtesy call on Governor Seriake Dickson in Government House, Yenagoa.
According to him, Governor Dickson is in a vantage position having led with more than 33,000 votes in six out of the seven local governments results already declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
He pointed out that the much-talked about change would be a mirage if those in positions of authority fail to consolidate on the legacy of free and fair election bequeathed by the immediate past administration, adding that during the tenure of the immediate past President, the PDP lost three governorship elections back to back, yet the heavens did not fall.
Mimiko said: “We the PDP governors have an important message to the President and all those who God has placed in positions of authority in Nigeria today; that the irreducible minimum of democracy is credible election. I think commitment to democracy and development must be commitment to credible election.
“We are appealing to all the major institutional stakeholders in this Saturday’s election to please for God’s sake and for the sake of this country and our children and even for the sake of those young enthusiasts of the social media who actually canvassed and voted for change, the greatest change you can bequeath to this country moving forward, is to ensure that we have a very predictable and credible way for people to access leadership.
“And when you talk about democracy, if you have passion about the development of this country, one of the critical legacies you can leave for this country is credible election because without credible election, we ain’t going no where. And I keep saying that APC must take a cue from former President Goodluck Jonathan who handed over power as a sitting President when his party lost, yet heavens did not fall.”
He said scientifically going by all the elections conducted so far, especially the last Presidential election, hardly did any constituency record more than 30 percent to 40 percent turn out of voters, stressing that the people are not expecting anything different from the rate of voters participation in Saturday’s election.
Mimiko noted that democracy is all about development and Governor Dickson has performed creditably well to deserve a second term in view of the life transforming projects the restoration government has put in place.
“But I have no doubt in my mind that by Saturday, Bayelsa State will be rejoicing because Governor Henry Seriake Dickson would have been declared unequivocally as the Governor of the state again and the restoration will continue.”
— Jan 5, 2016 @ 08:00 GMT
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