The former Security Adviser to the BayelsaState Government, Chief Perekeme Kpodohhas urged electorates from the West Senatorial District of the State not to turn down the financial inducement offered by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Former Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson ahead of the October 31st bye election in the state.
According to Kpodoh, the electorate should collect the Dickson’s money and rather vote for the candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Rt. Hon.Peremobowei Ebebi who he described as a.man of integrity and true conscience.
Chief Perekeme Kpodoh, who is a kinsman to former Governor Seriake Dickson and a Chieftain of the APC from Sagbama Local Government Area of the State, alleged that the sponsored endorsement visits of traditional rulers, women and youths from the Bayelsa West Senatorial District to Dickson’s hometown, Toru Orua, is a clear show of desperation and that the people of the State should collect the monies and stop him from going to the National Assembly by voting for the APC candidate.
Kpodoh described the monies being offered by Former Governor Seriake Dickson as a “looted State funds” and the people are entitled to share from it with former Governor, “Dickson is the one arranging the various endorsement visits to his hometown. People should be ready to go there and collect the money.”
“The money belongs to them all this ones has staying in one place as if he’s a python everybody will be coming any animal that comes he swallows.This is a different pattern which he just started. if he is spending money, it is the state money he diverted to sponsor his Senatorial ambition.”
” And I believe strongly that Sagbama and Ekeremor peopleshould realise that for eight good years of his administration, there was not tangible achievements. Is it the Ekeremor road? It was a shoddy job done to hoodwink the people ahead of the selfish Senatorial ambition.”
“Sagbama and Ekeremor people have never benefitted from the Dickson’s administration. There is nothing to show that there was a governor from that place for eight years rather he created enemity, destroyed structures that were on ground.Every structure that was on ground, he destroyed all of them look at my own community, the light they have been requesting for, till date they have not done it wickedness of the highest order.”
” When I did a story on the radio, they immediately asked the present political adviser, Collins Corcodia to run down and act as if the light project will be done. This is because the contract was awarded to Corcodia. Immediately after the story, the Chairman of Sagbama rushed down there and said he wants to come and put water, what have they done? Nothing. How can they keep deceiving us? ” .
“You are deceiving the masses and you have come again. And you say you want to become a Senator. Where do you want to pass. So today, I call on Sagbama people to open their eyes. if he brings the money, they should collect it but put your vote should be for APC and Ebebi. He is the candidate that we need at this moment. ”
” Dickson cannot win because he has gathered whole state money and thinks he can use money to buy people. Gone are the days where people go and queue up for ill gotten money to vote for you. People will collect your money and vote for whoever they want to vote for. And that is the watchword of the day. Collect the money, vote for a candidate of your choice. ”
” Nobody can buy your conscience, if they want to buy your conscience, you know how much they will pay you? You know how much you are supposed to demand to sell your conscience. Nobody should buy your vote or conscience. First of all, think of Sagbama. Dickson made the people accuse every Sagbama man. Because of Dickson, they have taken every Sagbama man to be bad”
” When they look at Dickson and all his bad habits, faulty character and attitude of Mr Know all and Mr sabi pass. When you look at all Dickson did, you will find out that the man has allocated too much power to himself and at the same time, he wants to use that as a yardstick that he is all in all. while he’s not God.Do you believe that people can come to his house? How many Elders during his administration were invited to the Government House? How many people did he even give opportunity to talk to him? . How many people, did he even allow to advice him as a governor? .
” So I don’t see why Sagbama will fall for Dickson money antics. We can not fall victim again to Dickson and his antics. He is not worthy to be given that opportunity.That’s why we are calling Ekeremor people to let the better candidate go this time. Let the better candidate, that will give us the dividend of democracy go and not Dickson. Dickson gave us what we call punishment. We looked for fish, he gave us snake, we looked for bread, he gave us stone. This is Dickson for you.”
” So, we will not take that any longer. if he is a true son of Sagbama, he should act like one. Look at the Minister of State for Petroleum today. When we were in government, he was trying to make sure he accommodates everybody. He was not discriminating but at the tail end of the day, he got the punishment from sonetm People. But today, he has come back and realised that it is better to carry everyone along.”
” Enough is enough. Ebebi will be voted for with ease. People will be happy, some PDP members will even vote for Ebebi because they are tired of Dickson’s antics and his lies. Today, you gather money and give Chiefs.Have you called Ekeremor Chiefs for once when you were Governor? Did you invite any Sagbama Chief to come and see you when you were in government house?”
“But instead of Dickson to carry his people and develop the place, he was developing only his community in Toru Orua in Sagbama. Everything is in his community. He built a government house in his community. Is it only your community. His activities while in government has given the Sagbama people a bad name. Sagbama people are the one collecting blame from everywhere. It’s your brother he’s not our brother, a greedy man, a selfish man, self centred Dickson is supposed to realise himself how many years, sixteen years ago who was Dickson?”
On the preparedness of APC for the Senatorial bye-election in the state, Chief Perekeme Kpodoh commended the leaders and supporters of the party in the state, declaring that the party is more prepared to win the two National Assembly seats of West and Central Senatorial districts, “APC is more organised than before. Am happy that the party is more united and focused.”
” Coupled with the Reconciliation Committee set up by the Interim National Committee of the party. if well taken care of, it will prepare the party coming together. It will unify the party to have a formidable ground for any other elections in the State. But for now, they should come together and form a formidable force and form a party because if we are not divided, PDP will not take the from us ”
” The party’s mandate was stolen because they were united and we were divided . Because they say divided we fall, United we are strong. The PDP compared APC is a party that has ruled Bayelsa for many years and Bayelsa remained a slum.,”
” Bayelsa today is still a slum. Another governor is now in office, they are not doing anything. It is now hundred days, we’ve not seen anything. we are talking about two hundred days now, we have not seen anything. A job that have been given to Julius Berger is not being done. Now, they have turned it to direct labour. But it is a project that have been approved for that road how many years back. Are they thinking people are fools? That is entirely legacy he put on ground, that Bayelsa state will be suffering.”