Defection of 10 Out of 3,000 Appointees Insignificant, Says Dickson

Emmanuel Addeh in Yenagoa

Governor of Bayelsa State, Seriake Dickson, has assured that the defection of 10 out of 3000 appointees in his administration was too insignificant to hamper the victory of his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the November 16, gubernatorial election in the state.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, said Dickson gave this assurance yesterday during the inauguration of 32 Chairmen of Rural Development Areas, at the Government House, Yenagoa.

The latest set of appointments brought the number of appointments the governor made in the last two weeks to more than a hundred in his bid to have a firm control of the grassroots in next month’s poll.

Dickson said: “Those who are writing about the defections from our party let me make it clear that in our government we have over 3000 appointees. The resignation or defection of 10 appointees out the appointees is too small a number to register a negative effect on our party and its chances in the election.

“Come to think of it, each of you, the G32, you have between 10-14 appointees under you, and if you multiply 32 by 14, you have the sheer number of grassroots appointment.

“This does not include of the 105 councilors, eight local government chairmen and their deputies and several others. So how many are the other party compared to us. They cannot defeat us. It is not possible,” he assured.

The governor said the APC failed in its bid to wrest control of the state from PDP in 2015 despite its ‘desperation’ and use of federal might and other agencies of government.

He added that it was a fact beyond contestation that the opposition APC lacks the requisite presence to win a gubernatorial election in the state against the PDP.

The governor charged the Chairmen of the RDAs to move to the headquarters of their local government and mobilise support for the victory of the PDP and its candidate, Senator Douye Diri, in order to consolidate on the developmental exploits of the restoration administration.

He stressed: “There is no doubt that you cannot compare our candidate and the opposition candidate but it is for you to go and mobilise and tell our people why they must vote for consolidation in the development of education, healthcare, road, bridges agriculture and others.

“Why they must vote for security and stability in our state. Tell our people the danger of the other side because they believe in militancy, cultism, violence, drug abuse and violence.”

Dickson said both the first civilian governor of the state, late Chief DSP Alamiyeiseigha and Dr. Goodluck Jonathan created 24 and additional eight RDAs respectively to take the number to 32 in view of the critical role it plays as the closest form of government to the grassroots.

The governor stressed the importance of the RDAs to the stability and development of communities in the local government areas of the state and directed the Commissioner for Health and Security Team to engage the new chairmen on enrollment into the Health Insurance Scheme.

FCTA to Partner High Court on Establishing of Juvenile Court