Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
The All Progressive Congress (APC) has launched a blistering attack on Governor Henry Seriake Dickson over his comments on the November 16 governorship election won by APC David Lyon.
The Bayelsa state chapter of the party in a statement by its publicity secretary, Doifie Buokoribo asked Dickson to stop threatening the state and trying to raise tension following the electoral defeat of his candidate.
According to him, Dickson should toe the path of democracy and rule of law by taking his grievances to the court.
APC which frowned at Dickson’s continued efforts to disparage the election with his “wild allegations” and “inciting comments” against the opposition party, state institutions including the electoral body and security agencies noted that “he has absolved only himself and his section of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of blame.”
The party which reminded Dickson that he is not a court of law stressed that attempts to discredit an electoral process and incite the public are not democratic norms the governor should encourage.
The statement read in part “Dickson has displayed everything, but commitment to democratic ideals and legal processes of electoral conflict resolution. We, however, unequivocally state and also remind Dickson that the elections have been concluded and the Governor-Elect, Chief David Lyon, is only waiting to be sworn into office as the next Governor of Bayelsa State. And for those who feel aggrieved, like Dickson, there are constitutionally prescribed processes open to them to follow in trying to redress their grievances. Disparaging the institutions of state and inciting the public to violence are, certainly, not among the processes. Dickson is not a court of law; he should stop holding court on the governorship election. He cannot be the plaintiff and judge in a case in which he is an interested party. If he has grievances, the place to go is the electoral tribunal. Dickson is also not Bayelsa State, and he cannot claim to be voicing the opinion of the people, who have overwhelmingly spoken with their votes against his nearly eight years of misrule and mistreatment. The people of Bayelsa spoke on November 16 across political boundaries and the message was clear. Dickson must respect the voice of the people.”