The fear of defeat may have gripped Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State and his ruling Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) ahead of the Dec. 5 governorship elections in the state, investigations by DAILY POST has revealed.
The latest revelation follows accusations and counter-accusation trailing the build-up to the Dec. 5 governorship elections, as the PDP allays fear that the opposition All Progressive Congress(APC) is desperate for power.
A PDP youth leader in the state, Mr. Sylvester Ebi-Dorgu, in an interview with DAILY POST in Yenagoa, alleged that there exists a high-leveled conspiracy by the APC national leadership to muzzle power from the PDP in Bayelsa at all cost.
He claimed that the plan of the conspiracy is to employ intimidation and violence to take over the home state of former president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan in order to make mockery of him.
“We have seen their handwriting on the wall. There is desperation on the part of the APC leadership to dethrone the PDP government in Bayelsa with violence and intimidation.
“The target is to make mockery of our leader, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, by taking over his home state at all cost. But, we will resist any form of violence and intimidation of our people,” Ebi-Dorgu said.
However, the current political whirlwind seems to be causing apprehension in the state, as the PDP recently held a meeting in the state capital to fashion out a counter-plan ahead of the elections.
At the meeting, Gov. Dickson, who affirmed the fears of the PDP, tasked party leaders, political appointees and supporters to be vigilant and work collectively as a family to guard against any loophole that may lead to the defeat of the party.
He urged Bayelsans not to be misled by members of the opposition party, as they did in the past, saying that his administration has set the standards that have eradicated politically-motivated killings and other electoral violence.
Consequently, the governor charged party leaders and other stakeholders to mobilize people in every unit, community and local government area towards ensuring that their votes count in theDec. 5 elections.
“Gather yourselves in every unit, community, ward, local government, mobilize yourselves and vote and protect your votes. Your votes must be counted to elect a leader that would protect their future.
“I want you to take this message home. Even for the sake of our state and economy,” Dickson said.
The governor, who sounded weary of the alleged ploy to use federal might to intimidate the people of the state, however expressed hope that his achievements across the state would speak for him.
He said: “It is going to be most unfair if some people say, they want to take over Dr. Goodluck Jonathan’s state by hook or by crook.
“I hope President Buhari will not descend from that hallowed office and either look the other way when security is breached and violence is promoted and the state and the Niger Delta region slide into anarchy and insurgency again.
“That will be very unfair to him and our country and to the legacy that the PDP-led government laid in terms of free and fair elections, which consumed a sitting president and above all unfair to God.”
Dickson challenged the federal government and its agencies saddle with the task of conducting the Dec. 5 governorship elections, to ensure a credible, free and fair election in the state.
He reminded President Mohammadu Buhari that the PDP-led government under former President, Goodluck Jonathan established the institutions that made him a major beneficiary.
“This state produced the leadership that ushered in a free and fair election at the federal level, of which Mr. President is the number one beneficiary and our country has come to be known as the bastion of democracy in Africa.”
“I believe that the security agencies will do their jobs. I also believe that President Muhammadu Buhari will not for the sake of his party, undermine the security of our country.
“I equally believe that Mr. President will not allow the security forces and other institutions to be compromised.
“The opposition members hold meetings in this state, but nobody’s house is burnt, nobody has been harassed or assassinated. That is the standard we have set in this government,” Dickson said.
The Governor argued that the opposition party does not stand a chance in the forthcoming election as it cannot boast of any political structure in the state.
He reiterated his call on the people of Bayelsa to vote wisely, reminding them that it is only a committed and focused leadership that can take Bayelsa state out of the woods.
But the opposition APC in Bayelsa has rubbished the allegations of the PDP, describing all the allegations as being borne out of fear of impending defeat occasioned by the internal crises that have polarized the ruling party.
APC’s Publicity Secretary in Bayelsa, Mr. Fortune Panebi told DAILY POST in an interview that the allegations made by the PDP against the APC were unfounded, saying that Gov. Dickson and his ruling party were only crying wolf.
“Politics is a game of power, so it amuses me when I hear them say that we are desperate. We are not desperate, we are only prepared and set to take over power in Bayelsa, because change has come.
“The APC in Bayelsa is not a violent group as being alleged by the ruling PDP in the state. Ilaughed when I read Gov. Dickson accusing the APC of violent conduct, the ruling party is only being hunted by fear of defeat.
“The APC in Bayelsa is working with the people of the state to take over power, that is the ultimate fear of the PDP, but we are determined to do that, because our people need to be free to embrace the new change.
Panebi argued that rather than making unfounded accusations, Gov. Dickson and his ruling PDP were promoiting violence and intimidation against perceived opponents in the state.
He recalled a particular incident in 2011 where he said Dickson’s supporters denied Chief Timipre Sylva’s campaign convoy road access when the convoy drove past the PDP secretariat in the state capital.
“I laughed each time Gov. Dickson accuses the APC of intimidation and violent conduct, becauseI see it as a case of he who uses a dagger, and now being afraid of a dagger.
“I can recall an incident in early 2011, during campaigns for the general elections in that year. PDP thugs and supporters blocked the road when the convoy of Chief Sylva was passing in front of their party secretariat,” Panebi said.
The APC scribe reiterated the commitment and determination of the party to win the Dec. 5governorship elections in the state, stressing that the tenure of Gov. Dickson in power has elapsed.
He advised the ruling PDP to trade its accusations with caution, stressing that no amount of lies, blackmail and media propaganda would help the PDP, as Bayelsans were already yearning for the change that has come to stay.