From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Bayelsa Governor, Senator Douye Diri has once again asked his appointees interested in contesting ahead the 2023 elections to resign.
This is even as he warned against those heating up the polity stressing that when the time comes the structure of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state will decide those to contest elections.
Diri who stated this in his community, Sampou, Kolokuma/ Opokuma Local Government Area of Bayelsa during the local government annual thanksgiving, spoke against the backdrop of recent political skirmishes involving some cabinet members and a serving lawmaker in the state.
He cautioned those hell bent on heating up the state politically due to their ambition to tread carefully as his government would not condone political thuggery and such nefarious acts.
Diri reiterated that the ruling PDP in the state had a structure that must be followed strictly through nominations and elections when the time is right and warned anyone with a negative agenda to a rethink.
While restating his call on appointees that have political ambitions to resign their appointments, he also called on politicians to change their old ways of playing God, mudslinging and thuggery, stressing that whoever God destined to occupy a position would eventually emerge no matter whose ox is gored.
“Now we are in a political year. Some have begun to scramble to become members of the National Assembly or the House of Assembly. I have received several calls that some people have started having processions while some are preparing thugs. That is not what Bayelsa State wants.
“We have a political party structure, particularly those of us in the PDP. We opened our two arms to receive everybody. But thereafter we will sit down, consult and have a credible process of nominating who goes to the House of Assembly or National Assembly and who gets what, how, why and when.
“I earlier told members of my cabinet who have interest in any political offices to put in their resignation and I mean it. So, I’m using this occasion to re-emphasise it.
“This goes to all other political appointees be they Special Advisers, Technical Advisers or Senior Special Assistants. If you want to contest for any political office, please put in your resignation.”