SYLVA TALKS TOUGH

• Sylva
Governor Timipre Sylva has disclosed that he would open his campaign office on Wednesday December 7 to kick-start his campaign for a second term in office. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which disqualified Sylva from the governorship primaries, had produced House of Representatives member, Mr Seriake Henry Dickson as the party's standard bearer in controversial circumstances.

Just few days ago, former governor, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha during the inauguration in a veil reference to Sylva had stated that no individual could fight God and government. In a statement, Time for Rebirth, personally endorsed by Sylva, he acknowledged the challenges of the last few weeks in the state, occasioned by the political row over the choice of governorship candidate of the PDP for next year's poll, adding that he remains committed to the governorship race.

While stating that the power struggle in the past few weeks was a 'contest between progressive forces of due process and reactionary forces of impunity' the governor said he would be contesting on the platform of the PDP. He expressed confidence that with the support of President Goodluck Jonathan, National Assembly members from the state, state House of Assembly members, local government chairmen and party officials at the grassroots, those bent on trampling on the rights of Bayelsans to enthrone illegality would not succeed.

He reeled out the achievements of his administration in the past four years in the areas of power supply, health infrastructure, housing programme, agricultural development drive, road construction, as well as the relative peace and stability in the state, stressing that he seeks the consent of the people to complete the goals his administration had set for itself in the sectors.

His statement reads in part: 'Despite the recent distractions, I hereby reaffirm that along with my dependable Deputy, Werinipre Seibarugu, we remain committed to contesting and winning the February 2012 governorship election in Bayelsa State. We do so, on the platform of our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). And we do so because we have no doubt that at the end of the day, truth will prevail.

With the support of President Goodluck Jonathan, and the ever visible support of our National Assembly members, state legislators, local government chairmen, party and state stakeholders, and party leaders across the country, we will overcome the machinations of the few and their futile resolve to manacle the spirit of the progressive forces in Bayelsa State.'