Dickson, APC trade words over ‘validity’ of Bayelsa guber candidates

Governor Seriake Dickson and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have begun a battle of words that promises to climax at the gubernatorial election holding November 16 this year in Bayelsa State.

Inaugurating five new special advisers on Tuesday at the Government House, Yenagoa, Dickson drew the first blood by saying that “the inability of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to produce a validly nominated candidate has further boosted the prospects of victory for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the November 16 governorship election.”

He boasted that the ruling party would record another landslide victory in the forthcoming poll.

A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Fidelis Soriwei, quoted the governor as saying that “no amount of propaganda, intimidation and financial inducement would sway majority of the people from voting for the PDP.

But in a swift reaction, the media adviser to the APC governorship candidate, Gift Ebiki, said that it was “highest mischief and derogatory of Governor Dickson to say that APC has no valid candidate.”

He urged the governor to concern himself with his “crisis-ridden PDP”, stating that he was not qualified to discuss APC matter, as it was only the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that has a say on the matter.

Ebiki asked Dickson to concentrate on the suit instituted at the Federal High Court by Chief Timi Alaibe over the conduct of the PDP primaries in the state instead of ‘meddling’ in the affairs of another party.

He went on: “APC has a validly elected candidate, Chief David Lyon. Dickson is not in a position to discuss APC matters. He should concern himself with his crisis-ridden PDP, as it is only INEC can talk of parties’ candidates and not Dickson or his aides.

“This has clearly shown that Governor Dickson’s hand is behind some failed APC aspirants’ desire to cause confusion in the party, but they have woefully failed because Bayelsans are more informed than they imagined.”

The governor, however, said that “despite the traumatic post-primary election crisis facing the main opposition in the state, we would not leave any stone unturned in our preparations for the upcoming poll.”

He added: “We are preparing the ground to usher in the next administration, and make no mistake, the next administration is going to be a PDP-led administration in our state. Make no mistake; the Ijaw nation has no room for APC. This state is a PDP home.”

“We are the only party that has a validly nominated candidate for the election. Mark my words, ‘validly nominated candidates’, that is what the law requires and the person most qualified. As we speak, the other side, the APC, does not have a validly nominated candidate.”