• INEC, SDN train party agents, urges violence-free poll
Ahead of the Bayelsa State gubernatorial election campaign scheduled to begin this week, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has appointed Dr. Nimibofa Ayawei as Director General of the Douye Diri Governorship Campaign Organisation. Ayawei, who is Chairman of the Bayelsa State Internal Revenue Board, was a PDP aspirant in the last gubernatorial primaries that produced Diri as the party’s candidate for the November 16 poll.

A statement issued by state secretary of the party, Godspower Keku, said Ayawei’s appointment was part of resolutions reached at a meeting of the Gubernatorial Campaign Advisory Council on Sunday.Speaking at the meeting, Governor Seriake Dickson restated his commitment to handover power to a democratically elected governor under the PDP on February 14, 2020.

In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Fidelis Soriwei, the governor described the All Progressives Congress (APC) as a toothless bulldog that lacks capacity to win any free, fair and credible election in the state.He said PDP has demonstrated its readiness to retain the governorship seat through the conduct of peaceful primaries, which had been adjudged the best in the political history of the state.

Governor Dickson said APC was noted for using thugs, ballot stuffing, hijackings and political violence, adding that this played out during its primaries when the principle of fair play was jettisoned for personal interests.He commended the PDP aspirants for exhibiting a high sense of discipline, maturity and sportsmanship during and after the primaries and assured that necessary measures would be taken to bring everybody on board to work for the party’s success in the November 16 election.

“Our party remains grateful to each and everyone of them. Indeed, they are the true heroes and heroines of democracy. When the story of how we have consolidated the gains of democratic governance in Bayelsa State will be written, there will be a special place of honour reserved for each of them.

“I assure all our party men and women and the people of our state that our party leadership understands the challenges and that we are taking steps to ensure that all issues are resolved so that our party can emerge victorious come November 16,” he stated.

Speaking, state PDP Chairman, Moses Cleopas described Diri as the best among the candidates presented by all the political parties for the gubernatorial contest.Cleopas, who also referred to the governorship aspirants as good ambassadors of PDP, urged all to jettison their individual differences and work collectively for the party’s common goal.

The stakeholders meeting also had Diri and some aspirants in the just concluded PDP governorship primaries including Keniebi Okoko, Nimbofa Ayaowei, Benson Agadaga and Kemela Okara in attendance. Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in collaboration with the Stakeholders Democratic Network (SDN) advocated violence-free election as the Bayelsa governorship election draws nearer.

At a one-day sensitisation and training workshop organised by INEC and SDN with funding from the United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDF) for agents of political parties in Yenagoa, they were urged to shun violence during the poll.In his message at the opening ceremony with over 150 persons from different political parties in attendance, Bayelsa State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Monday Udom, said INEC remains committed to conducting free, fair and credible elections.

Represented by Head, Election and Political Party Monitoring Department of INEC, Chinedu Nwankwo, he said the commission was doing all within its ability to ensure that the vision and mission of INEC was achieved in the November 16 gubernatorial elections.