By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja
As the November 11 governorship election in Bayelsa State draws nearer, the State Governor and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the election, Senator Duoye Diri has advised leaders and members of the party not to handle with levity the threats posed by the opposition, particularly the All Progressives Congress., APC.
Senator Diri gave the advice on Thursday at the PDP headquarters, Abuja, during the inaugural meeting of the party’s national campaign council for the governorship election, headed by the Taraba State Governor, Kefas Agbu.
The Governor pointed out that while his performance in the past four years has impacted positively on the people; it would be wrong for PDP faithful to think that the election is already in the bag of the PDP.
According to Governor Diri, “One thing I would like to point out is that the election we are going into is an election like everyone has said we believe that we have won.
“But there is a popular saying in my place that when a blind man tells you that he is going to stone you, it means that he is standing on top of a stone.
“So, let us not take our opponents, especially the APC, for granted.
“In Bayelsa, I will like to let you know that this election is across party line. So, we are not going there to deride APC.
“There are so many APC members who have come out openly to say ‘yes in Abuja we are APC, but in Bayelsa we are PDP.’ I mean leaders of APC.
“So, when we go for this campaign, we should be seen to be accepting them.”
On the popularity of the PDP in the state compared with the opposition, Gov Diri said his party holds the ace, stressing however that there should no room for complacency.
“On ground like everyone has attested to, it is like 80-20 per cent in this election, but we will not take it for granted because somebody is boasting that whether the people like it or not, he is going to win. That means he is standing on a stone, and we must remove that stone from under him. That is all that the PDP needs to do,” he suggested.
In an apparent reference to the a former Governor of the State and governorship candidate of APC, Chief Timipre Sylva, Diri expressed optimism in the capacity of the PDP to win the election even if the Federal Government elects to bring its might to bear.
His words, “I am not very sure that even the federal might that we used to know of, will be enough for a candidate that has been roundly rejected by the people. “The Federal Government is also not a government that is anti-democracy; it will stand to defend democracy. We are in a democratic system, and I believe that if we work well and we do not take it for granted, we have already won. It is not over until it is over,” he added.
While speaking earlier, the Chairman of the PDP Bayelsa State Governorship Election Campaign Council and Governor of Taraba State, Kefas Agbu urged members to walk the whole distance to deliver Diri.
According to Agbu, “Our gathering marks not just the beginning of a crucial politics or political journey, but a testament to our unwavering dedication to democratic ideas and the progress of our state, Bayelsa.
“In this pivotal moment, we recognize the weight of our responsibility to the people of Bayelsa State as we set our sight to retain our governorship position in Bayelsa State and embrace the task of envisioning a prosperous and inclusive future for every citizen of Bayelsa State.
“Our campaign is not merely a quest for power, it is a commitment to transformative leadership that fosters growth, equity and unity. “
