Bayelsa guber: Don’t push your party’s failure on security agents, APC tells Dickson

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged Nigerians to disregard allegations by the Bayelsa State governor, Chief Seriake Dickson, that security agents connived with the party to compromise last Saturday’s governorship election in the state.

Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mr Yekini Nabena, who made the call at a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday, disclosed that Governor Dickson’s allegation came out of pain, seeing that his candidate in the election lost out with a wide margin.

The party spokesman noted that on the contrary, the People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP), Senator Douye Diri, lost in the election because an alleged rigging plan by the state government failed, adding “it was obvious that the people of Bayelsa state have chosen to embrace the change and massively rejected governor Dickson’s stooge.”

Nabena, however, advised Governor Dickson to quick the blame game and concentrate fully on his handing over plans, insisting that, despite all the allegations, Governor Dickson knew his candidate would lose the election.

“Governor Seriake Dickson has decided to take out his frustration on security agencies, particularly the Army and Police following the loss of his candidate in the recent Bayelsa governorship election. Why will Dickson blame security agencies for his loss? Bayelsans rejected Dickson, his candidate and the PDP.

“Governor Dickson can choose to hide under his media show after the election, but he knew defeat was imminent. That is why he tried unsuccessfully to use all manner of illegal tactics to rig the election including vote buying and violence to rig the election.

“While Governor Dickson must be commended for swiftly inaugurating the 41-member Bayelsa governorship transition committee, I advise him to concentrate on preparing his handover notes with the remaining time he has left in office,” he said.

Nabena, who described the APC victory in Bayelsa as “a revolution against bad governance,” also used the opportunity to thank the people of Bayelsa for their confidence in the APC.

The party’s deputy spokesman also thanked the APC campaign team, led by Governor Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa state, for its efforts in bringing about the change in Bayelsa state, saying “our people stood firm against their long standing oppressors to demand their freedom”.

Chief David Lyon of the APC won the November 16 governorship election.

He is slated to assume office on February 14, 2020.