A few days to the March 28 presidential election, Bayelsa State Gover- nor, Seriake Dickson, has taken President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election bid and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) campaign to market traders and non-indigenes. Dickson told the Supreme Council of Non-Indigenes last weekend in Government House, “For continuity, let us team up with other well-meaning Nigerians and ensure the return of President Jonathan Saturday.” Dickson held an interactive session with the leadership of non-indigenes before campaign- ing among traders at the Swali Ultra Modern Market and Kpansia Market.
He also used the opportunity of the interactive session to reinforce his policy of ‘Operation Show Your PVC’ while acknowledging the importance of non-indigenes to mobilise support during elections. Perhaps, answering questions on his allegiance to the PDP, he stated, “My philosophy is PDP all the way,” while urging non- indigene leaders to inform their members to come out enmasse to vote for Jonathan. Dickson also urged them to vote for the Senate candidate, Paulker Emmanuel, House of Representa- tives candidate, Douye Diri and House of Assembly candidate, McManuel Parkinson. They are contesting the Bayelsa Central Senatorial, Yenagoa/Kolo- kuma/Opokuma Federal Constitu- ency and Yenagoa Constituency I elections, respectively.
In the absence of the Senate candidate, he presented Diri and Parkinson to the non-indigenes, while describing him as “one of our best representatives we are sending to Abuja.” At the Swali Ultra Modern Market and Kpansia Market, the governor also presented the pair to the traders, while urging them to vote for them and President Jonathan. In their responses, Chukwueze Sunny, president of Supreme Council of Non-Indigenes, Festus Odumgba and Williams Osiemi, chairmen of Swali and Kpansia markets respectively hailed the governor’s initiative and pledged to vote the party candidates.
