PDP Govs To Buhari: The Greatest Change You Can Bequeath’s Ensuring Bayelsa Polls Is Free, Fair And Credible

Olusegun-MimikoGovernors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, have urged President Muhammadu Buhari and other relevant agencies of government to desist from interfering in the supplementary election scheduled for Bayelsa State this Saturday

This is just as they expressed confidence in the ability of the PDP candidate and incumbent Governor Seriake Dickson, to sweep the poll, adding that his numerous achievements in all sectors of the economy in the state were commendable

The governors, who spoke under the aegis of PDP Governors Forum, also called on the Presidency to ensure a hitch-free exercise, noting that “this is the greatest change the present administration could bequeath to Nigeria”.

Chairman of the Forum and Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko made the call Tuesday, during a courtesy call on Governor Dickson in Government House, Yenagoa.

According to Mimiko, the PDP candidate is in a vantage position having led with over 33,000 votes in 6 out of the 7 LGAs results already declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The PDPGF chairman stressed that the much-talked about change would be a mirage if those in positions of authority fail to consolidate on the legacy of free and fair election bequeathed by the immediate past administration.

“We the PDP Governors have an important message to the President and all those who God has placed in positions of authority in Nigeria today; that the irreducible minimum of democracy is credible election. I think commitment to democracy and development must be commitment to credible election.

“We are appealing to all the major institutional stakeholders in this Saturday’s election to please for God’s sake and for the sake of this country and our children and even for the sake of those young enthusiasts of the social media who actually canvassed and voted for change, the greatest change you can bequeath to this country moving forward, is to ensure that we have a very predictable and credible way for people to access leadership.

“And when you talk about democracy, if you have passion about the development of this country, one of the critical legacies you can leave for this country is credible election because without credible election, we ain’t going nowhere. And I keep saying that APC must take a cue from former President Goodluck Jonathan who handed over power as a sitting President when his party lost, yet heavens did not fall”, Mimiko said.

He observed that scientifically, going by all the elections conducted so far, especially the last presidential election, it was a rare occurrence to record more than 30% to 40% turn out of voters, stressing that the people are not expecting anything different from the rate of voters participation in this Saturday’s supplementary election.

Mimiko noted that democracy is all about development and Governor Dickson has performed creditably well in that aspect to deserve a second term in view of the life transforming projects the restoration government has put in place.

“But I have no doubt in my mind that by Saturday, Bayelsa State will be rejoicing because Governor Henry Seriake Dickson would have been declared unequivocally as the Governor of the state again and the restoration will continue”, he added.