Shekarau joins Dickson’s campaign, predicts victory

From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
The re-election bid of Governor Henry Seriake Dickson has
been boosted, as former Kano State Governor and former
Minister for Education in President Goodluck Jonathan’s
administration, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, joined his
campaign train to Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government
Area yesterday.
He also predicted victory for Dickson and
the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the December
5 election in the state.
Shekarau, who joined Dickson in continuation of his
community-to-community tour, said he felt convinced the
PDP would win the election based on what he said were
the unusual crowd that came out to receive the governor
and their endorsements.
A large crowd of party supporters thronged the various
venues where rallies were held with community leaders on
hand to receive Dickson and his entourage.
He said he was proud to see such a crowd comprising
youths, men and women, who left other activities to meet
Dickson and that their support was a measure of the
governor’s popularity and acceptance, adding that the
PDP remained the party of the people in Bayelsa State.
The former education minister had accompanied Dickson
on a boat cruise through the River Nun to communities in
Kolokuma/Opokuma, comprising Egebdi, Okoloba,
Sabagriea, Odi, Isampou, Opokuma and Kaiama, which
witnessed large turnout out of supporters.
“It is evident that the Countryman Governor is well loved
by his people and going by what I have seen here today,
he will win the December 5 election. I believe it will just be
a formality,” Shekarau said.
He told the people to remain loyal and steadfast, saying no
amount of intimidation could change the will of the people,
stressing that their actions at the respective rallies were a
celebration of leadership and performance.
“I must thank you all for believing in your governor and
standing firm behind him in his re-election bid. I want to
admonish you to remain steadfast. The PDP will no doubt
carry the day on December 5. I am really impressed. This
is not just a campaign, it is a carnival. It is a celebration
of victory and I am so happy to experience this open show
of love first hand. Of course, your governor has led well
and with performance,” he said.
Speaking to the mammoth crowd of PDP supporters
at Kaiama, hometown of the late Ijaw hero and
activist, Isaac Adaka Boro, where a grand reception was
held in his honour, Dickson expressed appreciation to the
people for their show of love and endorsement for his
candidacy.
He noted that Kolokuma Opokuma was home to him and,
therefore, he needed not to campaign as the people would
vote en-masse for him at the election.
Earlier, the community leaders who spoke had listed some
of the achievements of the governor in the local
government to include the construction of Adaka Boro
Memorial Institute comprising of a Mausoleum and a low
cost housing estate to immortalize the late freedom
fighter, construction of the Boro town, Kiama link road and
construction of Isaac Boro family house.
Other notable projects listed are the construction of a
general hospital in Kaiama, model boarding secondary
schools in Kaiama and  Sabagreia, model primary schools
In several communities and the establishment of
the Bayelsa Sports Academy in  Asoama.