The KUBOR/OWORIBO Ticket is OK for Bayelsa State
Bayelsa has had a stormy past in terms of governance and these are not the best of times for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Bayelsa State. The PDP has very serious moral questions to answer because for the past 12 years, the Party has had a disastrous outing in the State. Today, Bayelsa State has been denied democracy dividends because of the irresponsible, insensitive and non-accountable leadership. With this widespread perception, it will be difficult to market any candidate contesting on the platform of the Party irrespective of the credentials of the candidate. It may be germane to conclude that in a free and fair ballot, the PDP will have very slim chances of winning any election. The PPD administration in the State has been bedeviled by poor performance, lack of focus and massive looting. The situation is so bizarre that many people look at the indigenes of the State with some pity.
The poor record of poor performance of the PDP is like an open book, which does not require any commentary. Most analysts are inclined to believe that it would be morally wrong to entrust the PDP with the leadership of the State – certainly not with the daylight robbery and looting going on in the present administration. Apart from the moral angle, it will run counter natural justice and good conscience. Our checks revealed that local government administration was deliberately paralyzed because of illegal deductions, and this criminal action is still ongoing now that democratically elected Chairmen are in office. Now, there are some Local Government Chairmen who question the very existence of the State Local Government Joint Account because the Chairmen seem to be at the mercy of the State.
In February, 2012 Bayelsans will go to the polls to make a choice on who will govern them for another four years. In doing this, three questions come to mind. First, is the electorate going to settle for a political party or a personality that can deliver good governance? Secondly, Will the electorate consider the programmes and policies being marketed by the candidates or will they vote for a political party that will impose hardship on them like the Peoples Democratic Party has done in the past 12years? Thirdly, will Bayelsans truly embrace change in terms of changing their political orientation as well as their perception about politics?
The value of party discipline cannot be overstressed. Party discipline is essential for the entrenchment of internal democracy. Internal democracy is necessary for a free and fair process of selecting ward, State and National officials of the Party. In Bayelsa State, lack of internal democracy is at the root of several bouts of controversies. In Bayelsa State, lack of party discipline and internal democracy has led to the contestation of ward congress elections, which culminated in the governorship Primaries. These challenges now make it difficult for even supporters of PDP to market the Party.
As we inch towards the decision moment, we should bear in mind that on a comparative basis, all the States created along with Bayelsa State 15 years ago appear to have taken a longer leap than Bayelsa in spite of the volume of money that accrues to the State. We have experienced 12 years of democratic rule with Bayelsa sons at the helm of affairs yet the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has not delivered democracy dividends. It has been 12 years of pains, hardships and sad memories – pains of our money stashed away in coded accounts; our money builds good hotels abroad but the government hotels are never given attention; political office holders spend the commonwealth to finance their own companies while billions sunk into water schemes at home have not kept the taps flowing with water; billions of Naira have been stolen to build estates abroad at the sufferance of the proposed housing estates in Yenagoa. Children die of curable diseases such as cholera but they fritter away the State's resources foreign lands.
In the opinion of many stakeholders in Bayelsa State, PDP lacks Party discipline and internal democracy. It is understandable why the Party is bedeviled by unending controversy at almost every level. It is this situation that has fueled rumours about PDP's disqualification, dethronement and the electorate's choice in February 2012. The PDP administration in Bayelsa State has not spared any effort in the area of job creation.
The Governorship candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, Mr. Maxwell Moris had already condemned the branding of Bayelsa State as a PDP State, stressing that the APGA would pull the rug off the feet of other Political Parties. The Candidate boasted of the APGA'S massive grassroots support in the State. He said APGA would campaign vigorously to penetrate all wards, villages and towns to ensure the Party consolidates its structures. The assertion of the APGA candidate is not new because even Mr. Famous Daunemigha – the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC candidate boasted of similar moves to capture votes. However, a huge segment of the electorate has dismissed APGA and the CPC adding that apart from the PDP, the only candidate that is independent of the State Government is the Change Advocacy Party, Dr. Kubor and his running mate Rev. O.J. Oworibo. In addition, a political analyst who interacted with this writer after the Bayelsa East Senatorial District endorsed the Dickson/Jonah ticket in Ogbia, stated unequivocally that the CAP ticket is the only authentic one and urged Bayelsans to vote for CAP.
While most people believe in Bayelsa State believe that Barr. Kemela Okara is an unknown quantity at least in politics; there are strong indications that the Action Congress of Nigeria's governorship candidate is being sponsored by the incumbent Governor of the State. This has in turn fueled suspicion that Governor Timipre Sylva is sponsoring more than one candidate so in case the court judgments tilt his way and there is a no win situation, he would be the God father of one of the candidates. Even before Governor Sylva was disqualified, there were unofficial reports that he had concluded negotiations that he would either decamp to the PDP or sponsor candidates for fear of the unknown. That was even before the National Working Committee of the PDP let the cat out of the bag that the incumbent governor was not qualified to run.
An analyst had already pointed out that it would be a herculean task for the PDP to win the hearts of the electorate. This is because the PDP administration in Bayelsa State has fallen short of performing even the core function of protecting lives and property in the State. The Famou-Tangbei saga in which innocent youths were killed in an extra-judicial manner still remains a serious nightmare the Sylva administration has had to contend with. No security report has exonerated the government of Timipre Sylva. The PDP in Bayelsa has become too controversial for the ordinary man therefore; the feeling is that if a PDP candidate is allowed to emerge as governor of the State, the leadership style of the present administration would rear its ugly head again. Bayelsa people may not continue with the tricks of the ruling PDP
It does appear that the PDP has under-performed for a period of 12 years and the people really need a change of baton. This perception appears to have gained ground in the State as most youths may be set for a protest vote against the PDP in the February polls. It this protest is carried out, it would spell doom for the Party. There is widespread discontent in Bayelsa State and if the coalition of opposition parties make good their threat of jettisoning their individual ambitions, then it would be disastrous for the PDP in a free and fair ballot. Added to the aforementioned troubles is the fact that apart from the PDP, only the Change Advocacy Party has a Programme.
Since the 1980's the CHANGE ADVOCACY PARTY governorship candidate of Bayelsa State, Dr. Imoro Kubor has been passionate about creating jobs for the teeming youths. Although, trained as an aeronautical engineer, he can be said to be the most well equipped person in Bayelsa State to tackle unemployment. I am perturbed that the challenge of unemployment has loomed large in Nigeria over the years. The phenomenon has assumed a very dangerous proportion. The scenario seems to have been worsened by the global economic down-turn, which has had debilitating effect on developing economies, and Nigeria is not an exception.
Dr. Imoro Kubor is also passionate about creating jobs for the teeming youth of unemployed people. His experience as Coordinator of the School-to-Land Programme in old River State and Coordinator of the National Directorate of Employment, NDE, Dr. Kubor has what it takes to create jobs for Bayelsa Youths. At the NDE, Kubor was instrumental in designing and implementing programmes to combat mass unemployment. NDE was obtained and maintained a data Bank on unemployment and vacancies in the country with a view to acting as a clearing house to link job seekers with vacancies in collaboration with other government agencies; and To implement any other policies as may be laid down from time to time by the Board established under sections of its enabling Act. NDE Job Creation programmes are principally geared towards empowering people in the informal sector for self-employment creation. However, poverty and other social factors are responsible for lukewarm attitude of unemployed school leavers and graduates in particular to embrace skill acquisition training for self-employment.
Dr Kubor in his chat with media men a couple of days ago identified the challenges facing budget implementation t be the tendency for budget padding, inclusion of projects that have no direct bearing on the people and lack of prioritization on the part of the executive. In that Chat he pledged among other things to vigorously pursue agricultural development, youth employment and the implementation of a balanced budget. He decried the phenomenon of illegal deductions of LGA funds, adding that Bayelsa State is essentially rural and any attempt by government to short-change the rural areas contradicts the holistic view of development which the Change Advocacy Party has been preaching.
The present administration in Bayelsa State closed all windows of employment and even existing businesses like the Bayelsa Palm Limited and the rice Farms have been abandoned. While billions of naira have been spent to produce MOUs on investment, so much money is rather invested in militants to keep them comfortable for playing the role of thugs at elections.
Now, a change of baton is imminent. A CAP administration will ensure policy focus, consistency and people-oriented programmes. What is more, the duo of Kubor/Oworibo is a very formidable team, imbued with the fear of God, with demonstrable character and track record. It is a team poised to transform Bayelsa State and to take Bayelsa State to the next level. A recently conducted opinion poll on the governorship elections in 2012 showed that the Kubor/ Oworibo ticket is Ok for Bayelsa State.
Elvis Diepreye, contributed this from Asaba, Delta State