THISDAY

Oshiomhole Promises PDP Red Card on Saturday

- Emmanuel Addeh

At its grand rally in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, the All Progressiv­es Congress (APC), has promised to roundly defeat the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the November 16 governorsh­ip election.

National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole, who led several governors, including the Osun State governor, Isiaka Oyetola; Katsina Governor, Aminu Masari; Governor of Kebbi state, Atiku Bagudu, his counterpar­t in Jigawa, Muhammad Badaru, among other dignitarie­s, said that despite the huge resources available to Bayelsa, the state had nothing to show for it.

He alleged that Governor Seriake Dickson was in a panic mode, having allegedly failed his people, insisting that David Lyon, the APC standard bearer would bring developmen­t to the state.

“Dickson is panicking. How can he not panic when the real lion has arrived. If he’s being accused of spending over N100 billon constructi­ng a runway that’s less than 3.5 kilometres, then he should panic.

“The governor deserves our sympathy. Let him not complicate his issues by resorting to violence. It will not save him. We believe in one man , one vote.

“To governor Dickson, nobody else matters. Even those who have held more senior national positions that helped him to where he is. He thought that the okro tree could be taller than the person who planted it. On Saturday , he will know the truth” Oshiomhole said. Dickson however insists that he has spent N70 billion on the airport project.

The APC national chairman described Lyon as humble and noted that he is not the noisemakin­g type who will not walk his talk.

“He (Lyon) knows the meaning of poverty. He understand­s what it means to be focused. Today, I believe the people of Bayelsa should vote for one of their own, who is determined, who mixes with the communitie­s. When you think you are bigger than everyone, democracy is an equaliser” he added.

Oshiomhole argued that the party does not believe in violence , noting that Lyon will be voted in on Saturday.

In his remarks, leader of the party in Bayelsa, Timipre Sylva, who spoke in the same vein as Oshiomhole, accuses the incumbent of mismanagin­g the huge resources available to the state.

“One of the signs of failure is desperatio­n and if you look around, desperatio­n has set in in the camp of the outgoing government. The APC is stronger than what they can imagine.

“They try to discourage us, but the APC is more powerful than they think. They have mismanaged Bayelsa for eight years. Civil servants will attest to it. Bayelsa cannot pay salaries. How many people are we?

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