Gov Polls: Accept Defeat, Congratulate Dickson – Bayelsans Tell Sylva

Following the victory that has been recorded by Governor Henry Seriake Dickson in the governorship election, there is intense pressure from Bayelsans and stakeholders asking the All Progressives Governorship (APC) candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva to accept defeat and congratulate the governor.

The latests are coming from the various ward agents for the over 500 APC defectors, who only last Saturday announced their decision to pitch tents with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

They include Francis Asikpi from Ekeremor, Sinivie Rita – Southern Ijaw, Mike Okpolovie – Yenagoa, Jude Timi – Sagbama, Godwin Wilson – Ogbia and Zidougha Patrick from Nembe.

They all unanimously urged Sylva to emulate former President Goodluck Jonathan, who choose the path of honour by conceding victory to President Muhammadu Buhari, even before the final results were announced to avoid an imminent chaos, mayhem and bloodbath.

According to them, the situation presents the former governor with an opportunity to rewrite the political history of the State, because it will save the people of Bayelsa State the risks associated with the conduct of the election, like the events of the 5th and 6th of December, 2015 in Southern Ijaw, where fellow Bayelsans had to kill their own brothers.

The defectors also decried the violent approach of the APC and their supporters, saying, after the period of the election, “everybody will come together and do things in common, as people from the same historical background and heritage.”

Meanwhile, the Bayelsa public has been alerted over the circulation of fake naira notes in the State.

Two weeks after the December 5 governorship election, fake naira notes used by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to entice voters, which amounts to about N2 billion are now in circulation in Bayelsa State.

According to the PDP, the printing and circulation of the said notes has vindicated its earlier alarm raised prior to the conduct of the election of the plan of the APC to rig the election and as well induce voters with fake currencies.

Checks reveal that over N2 billion of the fake currencies are already in circulation, while they are still planning to print more for the re-run election in Southern Ijaw local government area of the State.

The currencies, especially the N1,000 are having the same serial numbers while the quality of the paper used in printing is not the same with the original currencies.

A statement from the Director of Publicity, Restoration Campaign Organization, Mr. Jonathan Obuebite, said the eagle, which is one of the security symbols of the original currencies does not feature on the fake ones.

He called on the relevant agencies to step up action by ensuring the mop up of the liquidity of fake notes in circulation, saying it portends serious danger for the economy of the State.

Obuebite also warned those operating business outfits to be vigilant, as the fake notes could be used to transact businesses with them.

He added that the security personnel that were on election duties were mostly paid with the same fake notes.

The Campaign Director has called on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to take urgent steps to mop up the fake notes in circulation, while proper investigations are carried out and the perpetrators of the unlawful act brought to book.

He condemned in very strong terms, “the desperation, the hook and crook disposition of the APC and its governorship candidate, whose plan to take over governance in Bayelsa is anchored on deceit, complete lies and violence, stressing that, they have continued to prove and from their antecedents that, they do not mean well for the people.”