25th November, 2015
Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
The Bayelsa State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Wednesday said its candidate in the 5 December governorship election, Seriake Dickson, will hold the grand finale of his campaign on 28 November in Yenagoa, the state capital, in what it called the ‘Mother of all rallies’.
In a statement by the Director of Publicity of the Restoration Campaign Organisation, Jonathan Obuebite, the mega rally is a culmination of Governor Seriake Dickson’s community-to-community tours, a grassroots campaign which had taken him to the nooks and crannies of the state in the last one month, spreading his message of restoration and consolidation of peace, security and development through his re-election.
Obuebite said the grand finale, which would also witness the presentation of PDP flag to Dickson and his running mate by the national leadership of the party would no doubt shut down the state capital due to the expected crowd which, he said, will make the reported uncommon crowd at his declaration ceremony of 8 September a child’s play.
According to the statement, besides members of the PDP National Working Committee and all the party’s sitting governors as well as past governors who will attend, PDP senators and members of the House of Assembly, past and present, Bayelsa PDP leaders and members across the state, stakeholders and supporters both at home and in the diaspora, the 500 non-governmental organisations routing for Dickson’s re-election and people from diverse and strategic institutions will be on ground to support the governor.
The event which will have former President Goodluck Jonathan in attendance, Obuebite stated, would also bring together all critical elements in all the Ijaw speaking states in the country which he said underscores Dickson’s aspiration as not just a a Bayelsa affair but incorporates the strategic interest of all the Ijaws.
“Bayelsa State is the Jerusalem of all Ijaws and the mother of all rallies will showcase the unity of purpose of the Ijaw people coming together as one and affirming the collective interest and aspirations of the Ijaw race,” he stated.
Obuebite, who said Bayelsans were already upbeat about the grand finale, noted that the excitement being generated among the people was not surprising going by the crowd of supporters and enthusiasm displayed during the governor’s grassroots tour which he averred would mark Dickson out at the mega rally as a crowd puller and a positive effect at the election.
He also quoted the State PDP chairman, Chief Serena Dokubo-Spiff, as saying that “PDP is not just a party of Bayelsa State but that PDP is an Ijaw party,” which will make the presence of all Ijaws at the event decisive for the outcome of the election.