Bayelsa APC Accuses Dickson of Disparaging State Institutions over His Loss

The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Sunday urged the Governor of Bayelsa State,  Seriake Dickson, to stop threatening institutions of the state after the loss of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Senator Douye Diri, in the last governorship election in the state.

The party said the governor was trying to raise tension following the electoral defeat of his candidate, and advised him to toe the path of democracy and rule of law by taking his grievances to the courts.

The party’s state Publicity Secretary, Mr. Doifie Buokoribo, expressed APC position in a statement issued in Yenagoa yesterday.

The governor had said the election was massively rigged in favour of the APC and accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as well as the military of working against his party, the PDP.

The electoral umpire had announced that Diri lost to the APC candidate, David Lyon, with over 200,000 votes across six of the eight local government areas of the state.

 

“In the last few weeks, since the overwhelming victory of our candidate at the November 16 governorship election, Chief David Lyon, Dickson has inundated the state and indeed the country with wild allegations and inciting comments.

"He has screamed blue murder at all relevant institutions of the state, from the electoral body to the security agencies and the APC, and he has absolved himself and his section of the PDP of the blame.

“From his furious mind, Dickson has issued threats to the electorate in Bayelsa State and APC members. Dickson has displayed everything, but commitment to democratic ideals and legal processes of electoral conflict resolution.

“We, however, unequivocally state and also remind Dickson that the elections have been concluded and the Governor-elect, Lyon, is only waiting to be sworn into office as the next governor of the state.

"And for those who feel aggrieved, like Dickson, there are constitutionally prescribed processes open to them to follow in trying to redress their grievances.

"Disparaging the institutions of the state and inciting the public to violence are certainly not among the processes.

  

 “Dickson is not a court of law, so he should stop holding court on the governorship election. He cannot be the plaintiff and the judge in a case in which he is an interested party. If he has grievances, the place to go is the electoral tribunal.

“Dickson is also not Bayelsa State, and he cannot claim to be voicing the opinion of the people, who have overwhelmingly spoken with their votes against his nearly eight years of misrule and mistreatment.

“The people of Bayelsa State spoke on November 16 across political boundaries and the message was clear. Dickson must respect the voice of the people,” the APC said.