Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State has insisted that he would not support any candidate outside his restoration team for the November 16 governorship election in the state.
The governor also disclosed that the leadership of the restoration caucus would decided on which aspirant to support during the PDP primaries holding on September 3, 2019 elections.
The governor said this while inaugurating the restoration governorship primary election committee at the government House in Yenagoa, according to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media Relations, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, on Tuesday in Yenagoa.
He said that supporting any aspirant of the PDP outside the restoration group was one heavy moral burden that he was not prepared to carry.
He stressed that his upbringing and values, which places emphasis on the reward for the sacrifice of loyalty and steadfastness, would not allow him to turn his back on those who stood by him as leader of the party in the state,
He also hinged his decision to support a restoration aspirant on the imperative of continuity, effective service delivery and commitment of Restoration caucus to the socio economic growth of the state.
The governor however, dismissed those accusing him of not supporting some aspirants, insisting that it was his right to decide who to back in the forthcoming gubernatorial primaries of the PDP in Bayelsa.
He urged members of the party to ignore the rumours masterminded by some political interest that the newly elected party chairmen and councillors were not qualified to be delegates in the election.
He said that there was no law in the PDP constitution that prevents elected local government officials from becoming delegates in the primaries.
He said, “There are people who fought to stop our chairmen and councilors from participating in the last election and they failed. The propaganda out there is that our elected chairmen and councilors are not going to participate as delegates in the election.
“Let me make it clear that no one by the rule of this party will prevent elected council officials from voting as delegates. No one will stop them from entering the venue to vote for a candidate of their choice.
“We have agreed to elect a candidate for our party from the Restoration team. I will fail in my responsibilities and values if I abandon those who have supported me, who have been through thick and thin with me over the years.”
“The way I was brought up, it is support for support and loyalty for loyalty. You have to be on board on this for the Restoration Team.”
“My support will go to a loyal, committed member of the Restoration team. Not to do so will leave a very heavy moral burden in my heart which I am not prepared to bear.”
