Diri Urges Politicians to Play by the Rules

Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa

Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has called on politicians in the state to play by the rules, especially as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released its timetable for the 2023 general election.

Diri, represented by his Deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, stated this yesterday while presiding over the 68th State Executive Council meeting at the Exco Chambers in the Government Housein Yenagoa.

A statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant on Media to the Deputy

Governor, Mr. Doubara Atasi, quoted the governor as saying that the Permanent Voters’ Card (PVC) is the only weapon for electoral victory as against guns and other instruments of coercion.

While reiterating the importance of exercising their civic responsibilities through the PVC, the governor particularly called on youths not to make themselves available as tools for politicians who always use them to perpetrate election violence.

He maintained that no true politician who wants his people and democracy to develop in the country would resort the use of violence in the pursuit of his or her political ambition.

The governor, who advised youths in the state to realise that those who are always in the habit of encouraging a do-or-die affair during elections would never allow their own children and wards to do same.

According to him, “We want to use this opportunity to encourage our politicians, especially now that the INEC timetable has been released, to play within the rules because politics is never a do-or-die affair.

“We vote with our PVC; that is why it is called civic responsibility. We do not vote with guns. If we were to be voting with guns, then we would have called it a military operation.

“So we want to encourage everybody to play within the rules of the game and make sure we shun violence in the coming election.

“We use this opportunity to especially encourage our youths to make themselves unavailable as tools for politicians who will always use them and at the end of the day evaporate and come back to the state only when it is close to elections.”

Diri used the opportunity to appreciate Bayelsans for their support for his administration, assuring them that by working together, prosperity could be achieved in every nook and cranny of the state.