Category: Kogi/Bayelsa 2019

By Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

 

Bayelsa State Government has warned stakeholders against any attempt to politicise the annual thanksgiving celebration scheduled for tomorrow.

The government said members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other parties were invited to participate in the three-day event beginning from October 30.

Speaking in Yenagoa while listing the activities for the event, Information and Orientation Commissioner Daniel Iworiso-Markson described the event as significant, being the last thanksgiving to be performed by Governor Seriake Dickson.

He said: “We are celebrating the eight edition of the annual Thanksgiving Day and it’s something we should not take lightly. We give all praise to God Almighty for preserving us as a government and as a people up till this time.

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“This administration is the first since the creation of Bayelsa State to serve for eight years, and it is attributable to the way in which Governor Dickson leads the state in prayers and thanks to God, which reiterates that he is God sent to Bayelsa State.

“The thanksgiving is non- partisan. There is no PDP, there is no APC. This thanksgiving is for all Bayelsans, it doesn’t matter the party you belong to. We believe very strongly that as our state is the glory of all land, we can set aside our differences and commit the forthcoming election into God’s hands because we believe that this election will be peaceful.”

Iworiso-Markson said the theme of the event: “The Covenant Keeping God”, was apt, adding that the programme would begin from October 30.

He called on Bayelsans to be part of the event.

The commissioner said this year’s thanksgiving is crucial because it is happening just before the governorship election slated for November 16.

According to him, it is important for all Bayelsans to come together and be part of the thanksgiving, irrespective of party affiliation or religious divide.

He used the opportunity to appreciate Governor Dickson for the Thanksgiving Day initiative which began in 2012 at the inception of the present administration.

 

Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

 

Bayelsa State Governorship Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief David Lyon, on Thursday told the state Traditional Rulers Council that if elected on November 16, his government would first tackle absence of basic amenities in the state.

Lyon, who led leaders of the APC to the headquarters of the council of traditional rulers chaired by the King of Twon Brass, King Alfred Diette-Spiff, said he was disturbed that Bayelsa lacked potable water, security and electricity.

The candidate, who said he came to introduce himself to the traditional institution to seek royal blessings, noted that it stood logic in the head that despite the wealth in Bayelsa, the people were still suffering abject deprivation and poverty.

Speaking to over 17 traditional rulers of various kingdoms, who received him in Yenagoa, Lyon insisted that if adequate security was provided in the state, investors would flood Bayelsa and establish industries, factories to generate employment for the people.

The candidate, who said Bayelsa was blessed with agricultural potential, huge gas and crude oil deposits, insisted that the people had no business with poverty and lamented that no place in the state had potable water.

He said the APC had a programme of drafting traditional rulers into a project of tackling insecurity because the monarchs hailed from different communities with the capacity to call troublemakers to order.

Lyon said it was unacceptable that Bayelsa with huge gas reserves still lacked electricity with its capital thrown into darkness adding that when elected governor, he would explore all avenues to give the state regular electricity.

The candidate further told the traditional rulers the importance of aligning the state to the ruling APC at the centre to attract enough federal presence and mega projects.

He promised to give traditional rulers their pride of place in the country by providing them with infrastructures, welfare and conducive environment to discharge their functions.

Addressing the traditional rulers, he said: “I am blessed today to be in the presence of our revered traditional rulers. I am here to tell my kings that I am the candidate of the APC for the forthcoming governorship election.

“You are the fathers of Bayelsa and you are aware that insecurity is bothering the people of Bayelsa. The APC government will not handle insecurity without the traditional rulers. While we are emphasizing on security is that insecurity drives away investors.

“When I am elected as the governor I will hold proper consultations with traditional rulers and assign them roles to tackle insecurity. Once we tackle insecurity, many investors are ready to come into Bayelsa because our state is blessed with abundant resources. We are one of the richest states in the federation.

“But look at where we are as a state. We don’t have electricity. We have all the resources, but there is no electricity. When there is no electricity, how can investors come? Investors can’t come into darkness and insecurity.

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“Our team already has a blueprint to tackle insecurity and in that blueprint, traditional rulers will play important roles. Again, after the air we breath, water is the next important thing. But there is no potable water in Bayelsa despite all our money”.

Lyon was accompanied to the council by the Alternate Director-General, APC Campaign Council, Prof. Seiyefa Brisibe;two former acting governors, Peremabowei Ebebi, Werinipre Seibarugu; former Chief of Staff to Governor Seriake Dickson, Dikivie Ikiogha; Santorum and other party leaders.

Receiving Lyon and his entourage, King Diette-Spiff, on behalf of other traditional rulers gave his royal blessings to the candidate and called for a peaceful election.

He called on Lyon to prevail on his supporters to maintain peaceful disposition throughout the election adding that the candidate while speaking struck the cord on quite a few areas.

“We hold you to your promises when the time comes. We as royal fathers will like to give you our blessings and wish you a successful outing, a peaceful campaign and keeping of the peace after the election. I can see you have some heavyweights in your team. As traditional rulers, we are neutral but we will be watching with keen interest to see we have a beautiful election”, he said.

By Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

 

A Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Bayelsa State acting governor, Chief Nestor Binabo, has alleged that APC supporters were attacked by suspected thugs of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), after a rally.

Binabo, a former speaker of the House of Assembly, alleged that after the rally in his riverine Okumbiri community in Sagbama Local Government on Tuesday, the thugs invaded the venue and attacked APC members.

He said the attack occurred after he departed the venue, where he supported the APC governorship candidate, Chief David Lyon, ahead of the November 16 election.

Binabo said: “I was at the rally, which attracted a huge crowd in my village. It was a successful rally. But while I was on my way to Yenagoa, I received calls that PDP thugs, who were envious of the mass support for the APC, invaded the venue.

“I found out that they were armed with broken bottles and machetes. They came at a time our members were trying to clear the venue. They broke the tables and chairs. I find it very annoying and disturbing that my kinsmen would attack their fellow kinsmen because of politics.

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“We in the APC believe in a peaceful process of electioneering. We ask the PDP leaders to call their supporters to order because nobody has monopoly of violence. I know those involved in the attack and I won’t let this matter be swept under the carpet.”

He urged the police to investigate the matter and arrest the culprits, saying security agents must ensure peace before, during and after the poll.

Binabo said it was unfortunate that PDP members were showing a lot of aggression ahead of the election, but at the same time accusing APC members of violence.

While addressing the crowd that turned up for the rally, Binabo described Governor Seriake Dickson as an emperor.

He said: “As an acting governor in 2012, I handed over the reins of power to Dickson. We gave him the support, including Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, who was then the President. The government I presided over gave Dickson all the support and made him a governor.”

 

Our Reporter

 

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it has so far distributed 2,485136 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to the electorate in Bayelsa and Kogi states ahead of the November 16 governorship poll.

INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu disclosed this yesterday at a quarterly consultative meeting of the commission with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Abuja.

“A total of 889,308 PVCs were collected in Bayelsa, while 1,485,828 PVCs were collected by the electorate in Kogi as at September 30,” he said.

Yakubu said in Bayelsa, the number of PVCs collected represented 96.3 per cent of 923,182 registered voters in the state, while the number of uncollected PVCs stood at 33,874, representing 3.7 per cent.

He said that 1,485,828 PVCs were collected in Kogi, representing 90.2 per cent of 1,646,350 registered voters in the state, while 160,522 PVCs were still uncollected, representing 9.8 per cent of the registered voters.

“The commission will make available detailed figures of PVCs collected in each state by Local Government Areas (LGAs) and Registration Areas (RAs) as part of our continuing effort to deepen transparency and accountability.

“Copies will be made available at the commission’s stakeholders’ meetings in Yenagoa and Lokoja. The same information will also be uploaded on INEC’s website.

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“All uncollected PVCs have been retrieved from our LGA offices and will be deposited at the branches of the Central Bank of Nigeria in Bayelsa and Kogi for safe keeping, pending the resumption of Continuous Voter Registration (CVR),’’ he said.

Yakubu also disclosed that the commission has accredited 135 domestic observer groups and 16 foreign observer groups for the elections in the two states.

He said while 67 domestic observer groups were accredited for Bayelsa, 68 were accredited for Kogi, and eight foreign observer groups for each of the states.

The INEC boss reminded the observer groups of the imperative of submitting their reports in line with the terms of their accreditation.

“For the 2019 general election, INEC accredited 159 observer groups out of which 120 were domestic and 39 foreign. Collectively, they proposed to deploy 73,562 observers made up of 71,256 domestic and 2,306 foreign.

“Seven months after the general election, the commission has so far received reports from only 72 observer groups representing 45.2 per cent, out of 159.

“I wish to remind those that are yet to formally submit their reports to the commission to do so in earnest in both hard and soft copies as required of them under their terms of accreditation,’’ he said.

Yakubu said that for the groups that had submitted their reports, INEC had analysed their recommendations for implementation.

He, however, noted that majority of the recommendations tend to be general and not detailed and specific enough for remedial action.

“This is especially where inadequacies or failures that could lead to action taken against individuals or groups were reported.

“More detailed and accurate recommendations will help us identify locations, individuals or groups responsible for infractions and take appropriate action or in the case of exceptional performance to commend those responsible,’’ he said.

Yakubu said that the commission had had engagement with security agencies to ensure unimpeded access to voting locations and collation centres for accredited observers and the media in Bayelsa and Kogi.

This, according to him, was in addition to adequate protection for all, including election officials and voters.

“We also agreed that the rules of engagement for security officials on election duty should be reprinted and made available to the security personnel and stakeholders,” he said.

Yakubu said CSOs would continue to play important role in the country’s democratic process.

“We value your engagement with the commission and will continue to deepen it,’’ he said.

Speaking on behalf of the CSOs, the Executive Director, Inclusive Friends Association, Mrs. Grace Jerry, assured INEC of the organisation’s continued support towards improving the conduct of elections.

Jerry, however, decried the number of female candidates for Kogi and Bayelsa governorship election.

She said that was an indication that more still needed to be done to improve the participation of women and Persons Living with Disability ahead of 2023 general election.

She urged participants at the meeting to give recommendations that would help INEC to improve on the electoral process.

By James Azania, Lokoja

 

Wife of Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, Rashida, has urged women to support her husband by voting for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the November 16 election.

She spoke yesterday in Koton-Karfe, the headquarters of Kogi Local Government, during the launch of the Kogi West APC women rally.

Mrs. Bello said that the governor would continue to initiate policies and programmes geared towards women’s empowerment if re-elected.

Read Also: INEC distributes 2.4m PVCs in Bayelsa, Kogi

She said the governor has performed creditably towards enhancing women’s welfare, citing the office of the Secretary to the State Governor (SSG) and some ministries having women as commissioners as examples.

“If my husband is re-elected, he will continue to execute programmes that will impact positively on the lives of women and children.

“My husband’s administration has performed wonderfully, not only for women and youths, but also for the entire state through policies on infrastructure, security and youth emancipation,” the governor’s wife said.