The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has congratulated the people of Bayelsa State for their support for its candidate, Governor Henry Seriake Dickson, which led to his victory at the just-concluded governorship election in the state.
The PDP however said the victory is painful because of the number of those that were killed.
“It’s painful that this victory has come with so much pain because we lost dear ones. Those who died are our brothers. So many are yet in the hospitals nursing life threatening injuries because our opponents wanted to win at all cost. We wish to express our deepest condolences once again and to assure them that their death will not be in vain”, it stated.
The party’s position was contained in a statement by its Director of Publicity, Restoration Campaign Organisation, Jonathan Obuebite, shortly after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the incumbent governor winner.
The PDP thanked the people for renewing Dickson’s mandate for another four-years, attributing it to the “resilience and uncommon courage” of the people.
Obuebite stated in particular that the victory was important because it came the way of the PDP even in the face of intimidation, tyranny, threats and violent attacks, but however, observed that “despite the challenges, democracy won.”
He said, “We want to use this opportunity to sincerely thank all Bayelsans for their doggedness and patriotism because even in the face of such terrible intimidation and violence decided, out of their own volition, they came out to re-elect and return the Countryman Governor to office for the next four years. We are grateful for your remarkable decision as expected in a democracy.
“The people have spoken and we are indeed grateful. It’s your victory, you the good people of Bayelsa State. Without doubt, a new dawn is here. Bayelsans, through their uncommon courage have defeated tyranny and oppression by voting for the continuation of the restoration of our dignity and pride as amply demonstrated through their votes.”
The RCO stated that the victory was a sweet one which signposts the end of an era of a political class whose stock in trade was “violence, brigandage, militancy and bloodletting as the only means of accessing power.”
He said never again will Bayelsa State harbor criminals and rogue elements as contestants for power.
“Going forward, the Bayelsa political space will only be for those who have the intellectual rigour to trade their fine ideas in exchange for votes, not bullets. Our society must groom new set of leaders who will only access power through their superior ideas to regenerate society rather than through the barrel of the gun”, he stated.
Obuebite condemned the sheer scale of violence and mayhem that characterized the 2015 governorship election in BayelsaState, saying it will go down in history as one with the highest record of casualties.
While calling for the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators of the reported killings, the PDP condoled with the families of those who lost their loved ones.
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