Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Governor Henry Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State has called on the 12 presidential aspirants of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to avoid disparaging utterances as they campaign ahead of the party’s national convention.
In a statement, on Monday, by his Special Adviser on Media Relations, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, Governor Dickson said that it was pertinent for the presidential aspirants to avoid the use of words that could inflict injury on party cohesion and its strength as the country moves closer to the 2019 elections.
The Bayelsa State governor, who is Chairman of the party’s Committee on reconciliation, noted that utterances seemingly targeted at critical organs of the party and the governors should be avoided in the interest of a repositioned and formidable PDP determined to wrest political power from the All Progressives Congress (APC).
READ ALSO: Flooding has assumed national disaster status – NEMA
According to him there was no division within the organs of the party and its governors as all critical stakeholders were engrossed in moves to produce a viable presidential candidate through a credible convention acceptable to all members of good conscience in desire of the party’s victory in the general elections.
Governor Dickson stressed that the governors, the BOT and the National Working Committee are part of the committee saddled with the responsibility of producing a candidate for the party in a free, fair and credible process.
He assured all the presidential aspirants of the party of the commitment of the governors to a fair process designed to make the party stronger after the convention.
In the words of Governor Dickson, “I wish to urge all pPresidential aspirants of our great party to avoid disparaging remarks that are suggestive of division among the critical organs of the party and the governors. No such division exists.
“The fact is that the governors are working with the National Working and BOT of the party to midwife a credible process that will produce a strong and acceptable candidate for the PDP as we move closer to the battle ahead.”
READ ALSO: ‘Mrs. Maisel,’ ‘Game of Thrones’ win on night of Emmy upsets
The governor also urged aspirants with complaints on issue to take advantage of a forum for discussions between the governors, the party and the aspirants which was created during a meeting of the governors, in Abuja, last week.
The Bayelsa State governor said that a similar meeting of the governors, the aspirants and the critical organs of the party was being planned for next week in Abuja.
He insisted that the party was committed to a fair process that would prepare the ground for its victory in 2019.