PDP leadership at home with Fayose’s political roles – Dickson

Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Henry Seriake Dickson, has said that the leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Nigeria is comfortable and pleased with the roles being played by Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State in the polity of the nation.

Governor Dickson, who said he was in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital on Wednesday to felicitate with Governor Fayose on his birthday and to also inspect some projects in the state capital, said “Ekiti is fortunate to have Fayose as a governor when the level of his performance is considered.”

Dickson, who addressed journalists after inspecting the Oja Oba market under construction, declared that Governor Fayose’s critical appraisal of the Federal Government of President Muhammadu Buhari had helped in the deepening of democracy and had given hope to the otherwise hopeless Nigerians.

Speaking on the coming governorship election in Ondo State and the confusion in his party, the Bayelsa governor said the party “has a candidate in the election” and expressed optimism that the judiciary would soon resolve the logjam.

Dickson said: “We want to thank Governor Fayose for being the voice of the opposition. He has been the voice of the oppressed in the country and he has become a great party leader. We want our democracy to be protected because we don’t want a situation whereby governance will be personalised.

“The judiciary and the legislative arms, the media and the rights of every Nigerian must be respected under democracy. Nobody, under democracy must be disrespected and once this begins to happen, it is no longer democracy but autocracy.

“The PDP nurtured democracy in the country for 16 years and we didn’t ride on the opposition. We even lost a major election, which was last presidential election and we showed leadership and democratic credential by accepting our loss. So, to us in the PDP, Fayose is doing a good job as the voice of the opposition.”

He described criticisms as “the bedrock of democracy,” saying Fayose had “naturally become the opposition leader in Nigeria” and “the PDP is enjoying his sterling leadership qualities.”

On the Ondo election, he said “the PDP family has every cause to thank God and the people of Ekiti State whose support made the achievements possible. And I believe that with your continued supports, more dividends of democracy are coming.

“PDP is very strong in Ondo State and in Nigeria. It is our prayers that the judiciary will get it right for the PDP’s candidate to be restored before the election day.”