Dickson Is An Embattled Politician Desperate To Win – Sylva
SAN FRANCISCO, January 06, (THEWILL) – The All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate in the Bayelsa state governorship election, Chief Timipre Sylva, has described the incumbent governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as an embattled politician who is both desperate and divisive.
Sylva spoke through a statement issued by the Media and Publicity Director of his Campaign Organisation, Chief Nathan Egba, in reaction to Dickson's press conference on Monday where he referred to the former Governor as a violent politician.
Dickson had stated in the press conference that, “The APC, is desperate. Their candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva, is desperate. I hear they want to expand their empire across the Atlantic.
“Although Sylva is my friend and brother, I do not like his brand of politics of violence. I will roundly defeat him (Sylva) and the APC again and again.”
Reacting to these claims, Sylva said even before the incumbent Governor uttered the first sentence, anybody who is familiar with his public speeches since last year could guess fairly and accurately the phrases, if not the exact words, he would use.
He accused Dickson of having no other issue to discuss other than that Sylva and the APC perpetrated violence and used security agencies, the Presidency and other top federal officials to influence the outcome of the election.
According to the APC flag bearer, “In the same breadth, he is claiming an unassailable lead, according to him, having won in six out of seven local government areas results so far declared and that he has the total support of the people of the Southern Ijaw LGA.
“At this point, one really wonders why he is still embattled and running from pillar to post, holding press briefings and radio broadcasts almost on a daily basis. Why did he go to beg the Presidency to be allowed to win in the Southern Ijaw LGA in return for defecting to the APC?
“Bayelsa State has never had a more deceitful, dictatorial, wasteful and divisive governor such as Seriake Dickson, such that instead of campaigning on a pan-Bayelsa platform, Dickson has set about whipping up core-Ijaw and non-core-Ijaw ethnic sentiments within this small Bayelsa State.”
While accusing Dickson of not being a democrat, Sylva argued that if his opponent was one, he would not have stopped the salaries of civil servants alleged to have voted for the APC in the inconclusive governorship election?
“Why would he, as a sitting governor, import into his own state gunmen from neighbouring states to cause mayhem? All in the bid to win election! Whereas, he knows the terrible security situation the state is facing under him,” he noted.
The former governor of Bayelsa state expressed optimism that there was still room for people of the state to get rid of Dickson in this Saturday supplementary election, and vote him, who he claimed would make a more humane and uniting governor.