- Group Replies: Diri is an exemplary leader
By Ayo Yusuf
Less than one month before the gubernatorial election in Bayelsa State, the Labour Party governorship candidate in the state, Udengs Eradiri, has lamblasted the state Governor, Douye Diri for allegedly trying to use appointments to buy votes.
He said the governor who had made a series of appointments in recent times is engaged in a “self-delusional scheme” that will not help him win the November 11 election.
Mr Eradiri, who addressed journalists in Yenagoa, the state capital, Wednesday, said that the second-term seeking governor, having sensed his impending defeat in the political contest, had resorted to underhand tactics to hoodwink the public with a last minute job recruitment process.
Mr. Eradiri said he was also aware of the ongoing plan by Mr. Diri to sign some willing state executive members of the Labour Party to create the false impressions that the party had collapsed into the Peoples Democratic Party.
He said, “What is coming on November 11 is beyond party. It is a mass movement and a revolution against a bad, incompetent and clueless government. I am happy that LP has become a force to reckon with ahead of this poll and that my participation in the election as the candidate of the party is giving Governor Douye Diri a nightmare.
“My involvement in the election has provided jobs for people, who ordinarily were not considered fit to work in the government of Douye Diri. In the last three years, the governor did not consider rolling out jobs for people and engaging more political appointees.
“But today, a few weeks to the election, Governor Douye Diri is hawking appointment letters as a strategy to boost his chances. Unknown to him, Bayelsa people are wiser now. They understand his game. Besides, he is not doing them any favour because the money is not owned by the governor. It belongs to the people.
“So, if he invites you, go and take your money. If he gives you a job, accept it and enjoy it while it lasts. But the truth is that this great state deserves a better alternative and should be rescued from the incompetence of this administration.”
Describing the motive of the governor as vote-buying, he advised persons accepting the jobs to be wary of the governor’s antics, saying the offers were fake and would be terminated immediately after the election.
The LP governorship candidate recalled that a similar deceptive campaign method was deployed in the past but that those who thought they had secured jobs as appointees of the government were laid off after the polls.
He further stated, “Common sense will tell everybody that this is just a campaign strategy which will fail woefully like a pack of cards. Governor Diri has occupied the office for over three years but did not deem it fit to employ anybody. But suddenly he woke up from his slumber a few weeks to another election and started hawking appointments.
“Tell Governor Diri that Bayelsans are wiser now and cannot be deceived by his method of vote-buying ahead of the election. It is now clear that the process is already tainted by deception.
“It is only a bait to give the people false hope and subject them to making a decision against their will. The truth is that the process is designed to fail immediately after the election. We are calling on our people to be vigilant and not to be deceived by Governor Diri’s job and appointment scam.
“We make bold to tell the people of the state that everything this government is doing is borne out of desperation to retain power. Nothing is real. All are designed as a campaign movie series with incompetent actors. They are not sincere. I and LP stand as the only alternative for the liberation of Bayelsa and a vote for me is for a better and prosperous state.
Two days ago a group calling itself the Pan Ijaw Political Action Group (PIPAG) has drummed support for the re-election bid of Governor Douye Diri whon they said deserves re-election based on his sterling performance.
The group said the endorsement of Diri for re-election is anchored on the unassailable achievements recorded by his administration since 2020.
Reading the group’s position, a onetime House of Representatives member representing Yenagoa/ Kolokuma/Opokuma, Hon Bolous Indiamaowei noted:
“Senator Douye Diri is an exemplary political leader with strong commitment to service delivery and infrastructure development. He has exceeded expectations of the good people of Bayelsa State and Ijaw Nation as a whole. As you know, Bayelsa State was once characterised by politically motivated killings, insecurity, cult-related violence, massive infrastructural deficit and poverty. However, upon assumption of office, he embraced all political divides in the state as one big family with a disposition to peace, humility, good governance and capacity for development,” he said.
