By SAM JONES
YENAGOA (Sundiata Post) – Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has again threatened to depose any traditional ruler who allows politicians in his domain to use guns to intimidate voters to rig the forthcoming general elections.
Diri made the threat at the flag-off of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) campaign for Bayelsa Central Senatorial District on Monday in Yenagoa, warning that youth leaders of any community where intimidation and rigging occur would be derecognised.
He urged the electorate in the state to rally round and support all the PDP candidates in the elections for the party to come and correct what he described as the economic woes perpetrated by the All Progressives Congress (APC) led government in Nigeria.
The governor assured that the PDP presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has what it takes to reposition the country for greatness and economic prosperity.
His words: “As for traditional rulers, I have told them, any traditional ruler in whose domain that any politician uses gun to drive away any other party, that traditional ruler will be disposed. I am now advising, after now, I will take action through my deputy governor who is the head.
“The youths in such place will be de-recognised and I mean every word that comes out of my mouth; the traditional rulers will remain apolitical, youths have to be disciplined. Politics is not to go and kill your brother.
“I urge the people of Bayelsa State to continue to have the undying spirit of the PDP. In all our polling units, we have an undying spirit, in all of our wards, we have an undying spirit, and we will continue to make sure that we bring development, infrastructures, human capital development to Bayelsa State.”
In his remarks, the PDP state chairman, Hon. Solomon Agwanana, said the strength of the party is in the hands of everyone of them because they have given their support to the prosperity administration.
Agwanana said with the strength of the people, there is no way another party will have a space in Bayelsa, saying the people that supported this failing party, also supported a failing project and they have given failure to Nigeria.
He stated, “We say the failure will no longer be entertained in Bayelsa.
“We don’t want all these political gamblers to come and gamble our state. We have a situation in this country, the situation is not healthy, the economy is not healthy, the security is not healthy. They are trying to gamble this our state, but God did not allow them, we stood by our leaders and we will stop them.”
Agwanana said the leadership of the party in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area must perform stressing “I am challenging you because you are indebted to this party. The leadership must not deceive themselves, if you believe in this party, you must deliver the party.
“Southern Ijaw is PDP and we don’t want any mistake. They brought failing party, we now have the responsibility to rescue Nigeria. They were supposed to be building and expanding the good works of PDP, now we are talking of rescuing. We have a job on our hands and we are not afraid”.
According to him, Yenagoa and Kolokuma/Opokuma local government areas are hundred percent PDP and he was using them to challenge the people of Southern Ijaw to also deliver PDP in the forthcoming general elections.
“The only reward we want is for you to give us your votes and we are prepared to do more. If the party that has brought hunger comes to buy your PVC, call us, we will arrest them.”
