BAYELSA GUBER: TACO DECRIES VERBAL ATTACKS ON ALAIBE

The Timi Alaibe Campaign Organization (TACO) has condemned strongly, the tirade allegedly launched against the Labour Party (LP) and its governorship candidate, Mr Ndutimi Alaibe by Governor Timipre Sylva.

 Sylva, it was said had during the flag-off campaign of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the Samson Siasia Stadium accused the party and its governorship candidate of names-dropping, warning that Bayelsans should not mistook them for the labour movement as  President Goodluck Jonathan had exposed them as liars.

 However the Director of Publicity of TACO, Mr Douye Diri reacting in a statement said the 'claims of the Bayelsa Governor are false and done under the influence of the paid accolades showered on him during the event in the state. '

TACO while urging Bayelsans to disregard the illogical claims of Sylva, stated that Timi Alaibe or the Labour Party had never claimed to be an arm of Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), adding that neither had the party nor its candidate engaged in name dropping as claimed by the Bayelsa Governor.

It reiterated its support for the political ambition of Jonathan, stressing that its support 'cannot be compromised by provocative statement from the governor of a state.'

According to it rather than attack opposition parties, the PDP-led government should respond to the controversial N21 billion allocation to the Government House in the 2011 budget; the mismanagement of the N400 billion that had been received by the present administration in the state and the reasons behind the N100 billion debt profile hanging over the state.

TACO accused Sylva of keeping mute over allegations of corrupt practices, mismanagement of funds and state -sponsored violence leveled against his government, adding that the government 'has brazenly lay claims to projects that are either non-existent or not completed.'  It paid glowing tributes to Bayelsans 'who have refused to be intimidated or overawed by the cheap antics of the outgoing leadership in the state' and urged them to remain steadfast and vigilant since help is already on the way.

 Meanwhile the national leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has endorsed Sylva for a second term in office.  NLC President, Adulwaheed Omar who stated this when the leadership of the union paid a courtesy visit on Sylva in Yenagoa commended him for promising to provide a befitting secretariat complex and buses to the state council of the NLC.

 Omar described Sylva as a labour- friendly governor for his achievements which include prompt implementation of the consolidated salary structure for civil servants, new teachers' salary structure (TSS), new salary structure for judiciary workers,  immediate implementation of consolidated Health Salary Structure, the new salary scale for members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Niger Delta University (NDU) chapter, payment of arrears to workers as well as the payment of N 30,000 Christmas bonus to  all workers, he said it was only proper for him to seek re-election to continue to improve the lot of workers in the state.

 Omar explained that he was in the state to express labour's appreciation to Sylva for what the governor had been doing for labour in the state and his magnanimity in providing a bus at the recent NLC conference in Abuja.