FORMER President Goodluck Jonathan has endorsed Governor Seriake Dickson for a second term.
Dr Jonathan hinged his support for Governor Dickson’s re-election bid as one of the most performing governors in the country, based on his excellent track record of regular payment of workers’ salaries, reduction of the state’s huge debt profile and the unprecedented infrastructural development.
Dickson, last week, submitted his nomination and expression of intent form at the national secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abuja, to contest for a second term in office, ahead December 5 governorship poll in the Bayelsa State.
Speaking while receiving Governor Dickson at his country home, Otuoke, Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, Dr Jonathan said his decision was based on the developmental strides of the governor in the last three and a half years in the state.
According to Dr Jonathan, “If Bayelsa is compared to other states in the country in terms of the level of physical infrastructure, coupled with the degree of indebtedness in terms of bank loans and capital market, Governor Dickson deserved to be praised.”
His words: “I am not expecting the governor to score 100 per cent. There are three key parameters I will like to score Governor Dickson, which are payment of salaries, physical infrastructure and low indebtedness of the state in terms of bank loans and in the capital markets. If you compare what has happened in other parts of the country, you will praise the governor. People should think more of about the way the state is being run and prepared for our future generation.
“Bayelsa is not a cursed state. On the notion that governors in Bayelsa cannot do eight years; it slows down the rate of development and except there is continuation in government, development will be truncated. Performance is not about satisfying individual needs and so, we need to encourage Governor Dickson to go for second term.”
Describing Governor Dickson as his political first son, the former president noted that if Governor Dickson was given the opportunity of a second term, he would strive to consolidate on the achievements already recorded.
Earlier in his remarks, Governor Dickson had solicited the support and encouragement of Dr Jonathan to run for a second term, stressing that he and his entourage needed to seek his support, as he is the leader of PDP, both at the state and national levels.
Governor Dickson, who had been canvassing support from stakeholders of the party, as well as royal fathers of the state preceding his formal declaration to run for the governorship, had earlier paid homage to the chairman of the state Traditional Rulers Council, King Alfred Diete Spiff.
Governor Dickson, who equated Dr Jonathan’s support to him to the Rock of Gibraltar, said his encouragement dated back to 2005, when he served in the former president’s cabinet as Attorney- General and Commissioner for Justice.
High points of both events was Governor Dickson receiving royal blessings for the task ahead.
