The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Bayelsa poll

  • Dickson will lose in Bayelsa poll, pollster insists

    Dickson will lose in Bayelsa poll, pollster insists

    … Survey a fraud – PDP

    Pollster, an Election Frontline (EF), on Monday described as unfortunate an attempt by the Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Seriake Dickson, to fault its survey on the December 5 governorship election in the state.

    EF had predicted landslide victory for the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the poll, Chief Timipre Sylva.

    The EF in a statement signed by its Survey Administrator, Macpepple Joshua, said the claim by the governor and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that the survey was sponsored by the APC was far from the truth.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, Election Frontline is not a political NGO and our members remain non-partisan. The reaction by the PDP also said we conducted a similar survey predicting victory for Chief Sylva when he contested the Bayelsa East Senatorial election against Senator Ben Murray-Bruce of the PDP in the last April general election.

    “This is a blatant lie and false as Election Frontline never carried out a survey on that particular election. If the PDP government has an evidence, it should be made public. For clarification, our NGO has no affiliation to the All Progressives Congress and as a matter of fact with any political parties,” it said.

    The EF added that in the survey, it clearly recognized that the PDP was still very rooted in Bayelsa State being a party that had been in power since 1999.

    But it said the findings of the survey, however, said the election would not be decided based on the strength of the various political parties but on certain ingredients of democratic principles bothering on the socio-economic development of the people.

    It said: “We, hereby, stand by the result of our survey and that even staff in the Bayelsa State Government House including attached security men will rather vote for the APC than returning the incumbent Governor, who has impoverished them with no cut-out welfare package for them.

    “The survey conducted in the eight local government areas of the state with 1,000 respondents revealed that majority of the people would vote the APC just to oust the incumbent Governor, Seriake Dickson of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), for his alleged poor economic policies.

    “In the analysis of the data generated from the field, the election is clearly being contested by three candidates, described as serious minded candidates.

    “They are the incumbent, Seriake Dickson of the PDP, who is seeking re-election, former Governor, Timipre Sylva of the APC and the 35-year old young entrepreneur, Moses Siloko Siasia of the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM).”

    But the PDP again, discredited the polling firm and still claimed it was sponsored by APC.

    The party through the Director of Publicity of the Restoration Campaign Organisation (RCO), Jonathan Obuebite, described EF as an “emergency polling firm” with no track record of having conducted any election survey anywhere.

    Obuebite said the whole efforts by the firm were nothing but a fraud.

     

  • Drama as Jonathan’s kinsmen carry mock coffin for PDP

    There was drama at the weekend in Ogbia, former President Goodluck Jonathan’s local government area in Bayelsa State, when youths from the area, carried a mock coffin decorated with the colours and a flag of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    The youths comprising males and females took the coffin into a venue arranged for a rally of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate in the December 5 governorship election.

    They went to a corner of the venue to place the coffin on a stage, draped it with a PDP flag and inscribed on it: “PDP Rest in Peace.”

    The youths also erected a signpost indicating burial arrangements of the party on December 5.

    Round the coffin were traditional items used to bury deceased persons based on the tradition of the Ijaw people.

    The youths who were dressed in traditional black T-shirts first carried the coffin in a procession round the Ogbia town before bringing it to the venue of the rally.

  • We didn’t endorse Dickson – MEND

    The Movement for Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND) on Tuesday denied reports that it endorsed the re-election bid of Bayelsa State Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson.

    MEND in a statement signed by its Spokesman, Gbomo Jomo, dissociated itself from a statement endorsing Dickson’s ambition, credited to one Prince Amaibi Horby, who claimed to be its acting chairman.

    The militant group said it was not in support of re-election of Dickson, who is the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the election.

    It said Dickson in his desperation to be re-elected paid a group of thugs to use its name to endorse him.

    The statement said: “The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) wishes to dissociate itself from an imposter and self-acclaimed “Acting Chairman” of MEND, going by the name of ‘Prince Amaibi Horby (aka General Busta Rhymes)’ who claims to be speaking for MEND by endorsing Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, for the December 05, 2015 governorship elections.

    “This so-called support and endorsement was circulated in some sections of the media on Monday, 23 November 2015.

    “MEND wishes to state categorically, that we do not endorse or support Governor Seriake Dickson in a way, shape or form and strongly urges the media to disregard any such statements to the contrary, as it did not emanate from MEND.

    “As far as we know, Governor Seriake Dickson, in his desperation to be re-elected as Governor of Bayelsa State, has paid a group of thugs to use our group’s name to endorse his ambition.”

  • Guber poll: Bayelsa, police warn parties against violence

    Bayelsa State Government on Tuesday urged political parties to shun violence before, during and after the December 5 governorship election in the state.

    The state’s Commissioner for Information, Mr. Esueme Dan-Kikile, who spoke for the government at a news conference in Yenagoa, said peace remains vital for free, fair and credible poll.

    The government spoke shortly after the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Nasiru Oki, also appealed to political parties to avoid inflammatory speeches and hate campaigns, which could cause violence.

    Dan-Kikile asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies and other institutions of the Federal Government involved in the poll to be neutral to give all political parties a level-playing field.

    He decried the act of violence allegedly perpetrated against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by the opposition party members.

    He said: “As the ruling party in the state, we will continue to ask our members and supporters not to react or retaliate to attacks and provocation by the opposition party supporters.

    “We will continue to be law abiding, peaceful in our campaigns. Our party believes in issue based campaign aimed at improving the lives of the populace.

    “We have gone to many communities in the course of our campaigns and seen the challenges facing our people. We have agreed as a party to develop framework to affect local communities in every facet of life.”

    Sympathising with the injured PDP supporters, he said the party reported the matter to the police and asked them to fish out the suspects.

    He called on other parties to partner with the PDP-led government to ensure that December 5 poll is conducted in a peaceful and orderly manner.

    On his part, Oki said the police and other security agencies are ready for peaceful poll in Bayelsa.

     

  • Bayelsa poll: Why we are supporting Sylva – Contractors

    The Bayelsa State indigenous contractors on Monday declared their support for the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its governorship candidate for the December 5 election, Chief Timipre Sylva.

    The contractors under the aegis of Indigenous Contractors Association (ICA), in a statement issued after a meeting in Yenagoa, directed all its members in various communities to mobilise support for Sylva.

    The contractors in the statement signed by their President, Mr. Clement Adaminegbe, said Sylva encouraged local and indigenous contractors when he was a governor of the state.

    They added that the former governor provided enabling environment and adequate security across the state during his first tenure.

    “Issues of sea piracy and kidnapping were tackled to the barest minimum during his tenure as oil workers and contractors freely carried out their jobs in the creeks of Bayelsa State without fear,” they said.

    The contractors, however, lamented the spate of kidnapping and sea piracy under the present administration, saying the current situation had made it difficult for foreign and local contractors to execute their projects.

    “If Sylva is elected again, he would do his best to secure lives and property in the state. Contractors will not be left out in Sylva’s administration,” said.

  • US seeks credible election in Bayelsa

    The United States Government is interested in the December 5 governorship election in Bayelsa State.

    The U.S Consul-General in Nigeria, John Bray, on Thursday visited the Governor of the state and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the election, Mr. Seriake Dickson, to discuss issues bordering on the poll.

    Bray said he came to inform Dickson of U.S plans to send an observer mission to monitor the poll, according to a statement signed by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson.

    The consul-general also said he was in the Government House to share ideas with Dickson on how to conduct a free, fair and credible election.

    He was accompanied to the state by the Political and Economic Chief in the U.S. Consulate in Lagos, Tom Hines and the Political Officer, Nick Austin.

    Bray assured that the mission would work with the government and its agencies to ensure a smooth democratic process.

    He called on political leaders, parties and their candidates to play by the rules for a free, fair and credible poll.

    In his response, Dickson assured the international community of his administration’s commitment to ensuring a peaceful election in the state.

    Dickson said as part of his preparations for the election, he was on a campaign and sensitisation tour of communities across the state.

    The governor said he also used the opportunity to educate the people on the essence of a violence-free election, describing himself as an advocate of free, fair and credible polls.

     

  • Bayelsa poll: Senior INEC official working for PDP – Sylva

    Bayelsa poll: Senior INEC official working for PDP – Sylva

    The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the December 5 governorship election, Chief Timipre Sylva, on Sunday alleged that a senior member of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the state is an agent of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Speaking through his campaign team, Sylva/Igiri Campaign Organisation (SICO), the former governor said he had been inundated with calls about a particular member of the commission who is sympathetic to the aspirations of PDP.

    SICO in a statement signed by its Publicity Director, Chief Nathan Egba, said the INEC official whose name was not mentioned worked closely with the appointees of the state Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, in the last National Assembly and House of Assembly elections.

    Egba said: “We have been inundated with calls and reports about a particular senior member of the commission in the state headquarters who is a PDP agent because of the role he played in the last Presidential, National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections by working closely with appointees of Governor Dickson.”

    He also asked INEC to follow the laid down rules in the accreditation of election monitors and observers for the election.

    He added: “This is coming on the heels of the purported public endorsement of Governor Seriake Dickson of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), for another term by over 400 Non-Governmental Organisations in the state.

    “We urge INEC to be wary of such NGOs that had become political and publicly identify with a particular candidate in the election.

    “The APC had obtained the comprehensive list of the NGOs and called on INEC not to make mistake in considering applications from any of their members to serve as either monitors or observers in the December 5 election.

    “While our campaign organisation is irrevocably committed to ensuring peaceful and credible poll, the electoral body must also purge some of its staff and personnel who are believed to be showing sympathy to the ruling party in the state.”

     

     

  • ‘Dickson won’t escape defeat in guber poll’

    Former acting Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Nestor Binabo, on Friday said the incumbent Governor and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Seriake Dickson, “would be roundly” defeated in the December 5 governorship election in the state.

    Binabo, a former Speaker of the state House of Assembly, said the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Timipre Sylva, is more popular and has a better appeal than the incumbent governor.

    He said Dickson mortgaged his goodwill through his selfish tendencies, inhuman policies and failing to fulfill the fundamental functions of the government.

    According to him, every government aspires to balance social welfare of the people with capital projects in the spirits of socio-capitalist economy practiced in the country.

    He said Dickson’s administration was a total failure for its inability to deliver on capital and social components of a performing government.

    Binabo, in a press briefing in Yenagoa, the state capital, observed that Dickson, at the inception of his government, declared a state of emergency in education.

    But, he said, the administration failed to fulfill most of the components of the emergency, adding that the educational system had become worse than it was in the past administration.

    Insisting that the educational sector in the state was sick under Dickson, the former speaker lamented that the government abandoned most of the rehabilitation and reconstruction projects it started in schools.

    He said it was a policy somersault for a government which declared emergency in education to allow the only state-owned university, the Niger Delta University (NDU) to decay.

    “This government has added no value to the only state-owned university, the NDU. The development of that school stopped with Sylva. After Sylva, the school has been suffering from infrastructural and academic decay.

    “Imagine that courses that were accredited during Sylva’s administration have been de-accredited. The school is begging for help. Instead of investing in the school, what the government did was to increase school fees without recourse to the poverty level of the people.

    “Besides, this is a government that has failed to pay bursaries to students. So, everybody especially the students are suffering. How can a governor expect people he has impoverished to vote for him a second term? Any vote for Dickson, is a vote for entrenched poverty.”

  • Sylva to Dickson: Go with your wicked policies

    Sylva to Dickson: Go with your wicked policies

    The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the December 5 election in Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva, on Thursday asked the state Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, to pack his belongings and get ready to quit the Government House.

    Sylva lambasted Dickson, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in the election and described his policies and programmes as anti-people, wicked and painful.

    The former Governor, who spoke through his campaign outfit, Sylva-Igiri Campaign Organisation (SICO), said Dickson, in the last three years introduced unpopular initiatives to inflict pains on the citizens.

    Sylva in a statement signed by the Director of Media and Publicity, SICO, Chief Nathan Egba, said Dickson kept his promise to deliberately impoverish the people.

    He said: “It will be recalled that Governor Dickson had boasted that none of his appointees, particularly the commissioners and special advisers would become millionaires under his government.

    “Dickson went further to introduce policies that have crippled businesses of Bayelsans in private enterprises so as to ensure that there would be nobody financially strong enough to challenge him in the coming election.

    “The civil servants are worst hit as the outgoing Dickson’s administration introduced a draconian regime through multiple taxation to shortchange them and take part of their meager salaries through the back door to keep them in perpetual poverty.

    “It is on record that Governor Dickson also starved the entire civil service of funds for the day-to-day running of government business as well as deny civil servants of promotion on the excuse of lack of money to pay them on the next salary grade.”

    Sylva said it was against all known public service norms for a political appointee to practically take over all functions of the office of the Accountant-General of the state.

    He said Dickson was running an administration that was solely operated by his cronies and clearly not civil servants friendly.

    He also accused the governor of inflicting pains on pensioners in the state by not paying their entitlements for months.

     

  • Oshiomhole vows to work for Sylva’s victory in Bayelsa poll

    Oshiomhole vows to work for Sylva’s victory in Bayelsa poll

    The Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, has vowed to work for the victory of the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in the December 5 election in Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva.

    Oshiomhole spoke while presiding over a meeting of the APC campaign council for the Bayelsa State governorship election at the Sokoto Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja, Tuesday.

    His speech put paid to speculations that he opted out as the chairman of the campaign council following his altercation with Sylva over the governorship primary in Bayelsa.

    The Ijaw Elders Forum (IEF), a group supporting the Bayelsa State governor and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr.Seriake Dickson, recently hailed Oshiomhole for reportedly rejecting the oppurtunity to lead the ex-governor’s campaign team.

    But Oshiomhole said he never turned down the offer and insisted that the Bayelsa poll was very significant to the APC.

    The Edo governor said he could not attend the council’s inauguration and its inaugural meeting because of communication gaps.

    Oshiomhole, who spoke to reporters shortly after presiding over a brief session of the APC campaign council, praised the party for assembling a team of committed party men and women to support the governorship candidate.

    He said: “I would have been here for the inauguration as well as the first meeting of the campaign council but for communication challenges, I did not get the information on time.

    “But the truth is that every party man has a duty to project the APC, the governorship candidate and our manifestoes to the people of Bayelsa State as we go in for the election.

    “This election is very crucial to us and all legitimate means allowed within the ambit of the law will be explored to ensure that we win. It is very significant to us as a party.”