SAN FRANCISCO, August 14, (THEWILL) – A former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and a top aspirant, Chief Timi Alaibe, has told Bayelsa Governor, Seriake Dickson that the governor’s antics cannot distract him from his campaign to clinch the governorship ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Alaibe in a statement by his Timi Alaibe Campaign Organisation dismissed allegations of circulating a cynically manipulated audio by Dickson.
Though Alaibe’s bid enjoys wide support in the state within the party’s establishment and the national headquarters of the PDP, Dickson is hell bent on ensuring that he doesn’t emerge the party’s candidate. Their cold war snowballed into public consciousness Wednesday.
A statement by the Administrative Secretary of the campaign, Prof. Seiyefa Brisibe, said it would not tolerate the use of gutter language to describe its aspirant after Dickson’s spokesman, Fidelis Soriwei, accused the former NDDC boss of circulating video and audio messages to blackmail him.
Alaibe’s campaign’s statement reads: “For the records, let it be stated that we as a campaign organisation, take serious exception to the wrong use of tar-brush loaded words and gutter language to describe the person of our Principal with the intent to incite the public against him; particularly over an issue he knows absolutely nothing about. This is unacceptable.
“Neither Alaibe nor any member of his Campaign Organisation was at the meetings referred to in the public statement issued on Wednesday. If any of us has access to the recorded discussion mentioned in the public statement, such access can only be traced to the originators of the statement.
“Our focus is to conduct our campaign on issues that will lead to the development of Bayelsa State through a shred economic prosperity and not waste energy and time on commonplace matters.
“Since the beginning of the search for a successor to Dickson, and in spite of provocative and insulting statements by certain individuals and groups, including serving commissioners in the state, this is the first time we have decided to say enough is enough.
“Our silence should not be misconstrued to mean timidity, fear or any such thing. It was basically and still a measure of the respect we and our Principal have for the person and office of the Governor. Unfortunately, that respect has not been reciprocated.
“At the point of expressing interest in this race, we were enjoined by the party leadership to run a clean campaign. We have been faithful to that directive and will continue to be. This is an internal contest in which the eventual choice of the party would need the support of other contestants to win the governorship election.
“It would therefore be unhelpful to take up issues with anyone as though winning the party ticket is a matter of life and death; certainly not with the governor who is neither a contestant in the race nor expected to sponsor any of the aspirants.
“Let it be known that we are not desperate but determined to win this race, by the grace of God. We will not allow ourselves to be distracted neither shall we engage in any indecent act or sinister strategies for the sake of this race. We are too focused to be distracted”.
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