The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State has condemned efforts of the state Governor, Seriake Dickson, to discredit results of elections in some wards in Southern Ijaw and Nembe local government areas of the state.
The party dismissed as groundless Dickson’s statement against votes garnered in the state by President Muhammadu Buhari and APC candidates.
The party in a statement signed by its Publicity Secrtary, Doifie Buokoribo, also rejected an attempt by Dickson to equate himself with Bayelsa by claiming the state condemned votes polled by APC.
Buokoribo stressed that Dickson was not Bayelsa, and that the state was neither Dickson nor a political party.
He advised Dickson to explore the democratic option of seeking redress in the courts if he had any grievances about the poll results, instead of plunging into the realm of reckless and enflaming statements.
Buokoribo said: “The APC in Bayelsa State considers the government statement as baseless, ill-advised, and reckless. Dickson is not Bayelsa State. Bayelsa State is not Dickson. Bayelsa State is not a party to the general elections. Bayelsa State Government must not be confused with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
As a narrow-minded and petty politician, Dickson seems not to realise that he is governor of all, not just PDP. Or are we to assume that APC members in Bayelsa State are from Sudan?
“The 23 February 2019 elections have taken place, the results collated and winners have emerged. No amount of threat, psychological warfare or fake news can change the results as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“The only option open to any aggrieved party is a democratic court of law. As a lawyer, or even governor who has access to a myriad of lawyers, Governor Dickson should know this basic fact
“Working in concert with Governor Dickson is the amorphous Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) in Bayelsa State. Created by the PDP, CUPP is demanding fresh elections in Southern Ijaw and Nembe Local Government Councils won by the APC. Our advice to CUPP: go to court
“The peace-loving, democracy-minded people of Bayelsa State cannot be made pawns in a crude political game by rogue buccaneers seeking power at all costs”.