‘Don’t politicise thanksgiving’

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.