An Ijaw leader and former Federal Commissioner for Information, Chief Edwin Clark, on Wednesday described the Bayelsa State governorship election as not only a show of shame but a disgraceful display of individuals seeking to get hold of power by all means.
He said the behaviour of the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Governor Seriake Dickson, and that of his major contender, Chief Timipre Sylva of the All Progressives Congress, denoted high level of self interest.
Clark, while explaining this in a conference in his residence in Abuja, stated that political violence in the State or elsewhere was due to desperation and greed. He wondered how guns and other weapons became voting tools rather than the Permanent Voter Cards in some areas in the State, saying that it is unfortunate that both of them are not democrats and therefore do not understand what democracy is all about.
He said, “What they know is power. I want to repeat here a very popular and apt saying that “Power belongs to the Almighty God. He gives it at each given time to whoever He wishes.”
Clark said the two contenders, having ruled the state at different times, were expected to be peaceful.
He said, “These two contestants have both served the people as governor of the state. The people already know their individual capabilities. They should have allowed the electorate to peacefully decide who they wanted.
Clark said he was pushed to talk due to issues that surrounded the election– even though he had resigned from partisan politics – because the election was a disaster.
He said it was difficult to absolve the two contenders of blame.
Meanwhile, he pleaded to Sylva to accept the result of the election in the interest of Bayelsa people, saying that subjecting the people to another election holds a grave danger.
He advised Dickson to extend a hand of fellowship to the loser.
Clark, who is also the Chairman, Board of Trustees, Ijaw National Congress, said it was time for the Ijaw nation to look inward.
He said, “If a son of Ijaw land can prevent nationwide bloodshed by conceding defeat, why can’t we replicate this same feat at home and display uncommon courage?
“I have heard Sylva’s statement that he will go to the tribunal to prove that the elections were not properly conducted due to an alleged conspiracy between the Independent National Electoral Commission and the PDP.”
While saying that this was the proper action to be taken by an aggrieved candidate in any election, he nevertheless appealed to the former governor to allow peace to reign by jettisoning the idea.
Clark said, “But I am appealing to him that in the interest of the ljaw nation and to prevent the danger of subjecting the people of Bayelsa to another gruesome ordeal, he should please accept the results of the election and allow peace to reign.
“Sylva is a young man and has another opportunity in 2019 to become the governor,” he said.
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