Bayelsa poll: Security agencies deserve commendation not vilification, group tells Dickson

The Nigerian Army and other security agencies deserve massive commendation for their role in the election in Bayelsa state, according to the Centre for Democracy and Change (CDC).

At a press conference in Yenegoa, the state capital , on Saturday, the group said rather than vilify security agencies as done by Seriake Dickson, governor of the state, “our gallant troops and other security agencies should be applauded for again rising to the occasion”.

The governor had called for the cancellation of the election even before the exercise fully commenced, insinuating that the security agencies connivedwith the All Progressives Congress (APC).

However, the CDC accused Dickson of plots to truncate the election meant to produce his successor.

In a statement, Gbenga Badamosi, CDC executive director, said but for the action of security operatives, violence would have been the order of the day in the election.

The statement of the group below:

The Centre for Democracy and Change (CDC) is alarmed that Governor of Bayelsa state, Mr. Seriake Dickson called for the cancellation of an election even before voting was properly underway. The instances and incidents he is latching onto to make this questionable call have been proven as being blown out of proportion, which raise the question of his motives for attempting to deny Bayelsans of their franchise when they have used the same instrumentality to keep him office for almost eight years.

Part of the justification for the call by Mr. Dickson is the lumping together of militias with the Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Police Force, something that has exposed the desperation on his part to have his party’s candidate win the election, possibly in order to install a lackey that will cover his tracks for whatever unacceptable acts he might have committed in his eight-year rule.

CDC elections observers are on ground in Bayelsa state and at no time did we witness the incidents that the Governor claimed to have occurred. Remarkably, neither local nor foreign observers have made any comment as to the conduct of the election along the line that Mr. Dickson did.

We are concerned that he made these indicting comments to provoke the army and other security agencies to abandon the electorate to those who have been paid to disrupt the vote.

CDC is aware that the presence of legitimately deployed Army and other security personnel is the saving grace in Bayelsa at this electioneering moment as thugs loyal to politicians had made up their minds to destroy our democracy by sabotaging the governorship election.

We consequently call Mr. Seriake Dickson to order even as we warn that he shall be held criminally liable for any breach of the peace in Bayelsa state arising from his incitement of the populace against military and security personnel on election duty.

It does not matter whether his party or another political party wins the election because CDC will take this matter up when his immunity expires with his tenure as what he has done is capable of triggering a genocide.