From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has taken a swipe at the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the November 11 governorship election, Chief Timipre Sylva, for making false claims on the Sagbama-Ekeremor road project.
Diri who spoke over the weekend at Igeibiri in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area during the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship campaign tour lambasted Chief Sylva for claiming that he constructed the Sagbama-Ekeremor road to a level before the immediate past governor completed it.
While maintaining that Sylva did not pour a shovel of sand on the road during his tenure as governor, he pointed out that Bayelsans do not deserve a governor that lies and who had nothing to show for his time as governor.
Diri, who pointed out that he was not at Igeibiri to campaign, stressed that his achievements in the community speak volumes and assured the people that he will do more when he returns for a second tenure.
He expressed appreciation to the Igeibiri people for always standing by the PDP and expressed the optimism that they will again support him and his party during the election.
At Oporoma, headquarters of Southern Ijaw LGA, Diri was conferred with the chieftaincy title of “Owou fini-owei keni” of Southern Ijaw (One who opened the road to Southern Ijaw).
His words: “We saw their campaign in my local government, Ekeremor, and they were telling lies to the whole world. That (Ekeremor-Sagbama) road was started by the NDDC, worked on by my predecessor and I completed it. It was one of our campaign points and today I have completed that road. The governor who stayed for five years never poured a shovel of sand on that road but he is claiming he did it to an extent.
“We did not come to campaign as we are your children. We know you have always been behind us and will do so again.
“We are not like those people who say I will do, so vote for me. With my background in Ijaw struggle, I will do more to develop Bayelsa.
“We thought we were doing our work but we have also been rewarded with a chieftaincy title. On behalf of the campaign council, we are very grateful.”