2023: Diri Warns Against Political Thuggery

Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri has cautioned against heating up of the state polity due to their various political ambitions to do so carefully, saying that his government would not condone political thuggery and other nefarious acts.
He stated this in Sampou Communitiy, his hometown during the 12th annual Kolokuma/Opokuma council area thanksgiving service.
Diri stressed that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party in the state had a structure that must be followed strictly through nominations and elections when the time is right and warned anyone with a negative agenda to have a rethink, just as he restated his call on his appointees that have political ambitions to resign their appointments.
The Bayelsa Chief Executive called on politicians to change their old ways of playing God, mudslinging and thuggery, stressing that whoever God destined to occupy a position would eventually emerge no matter whose ox was gored.
“Now we are in a political year. Some have begun to scramble to become members of the National Assembly or the House of Assembly. I have received several calls that some people have started having processions while some are preparing thugs. That is not what Bayelsa State wants.
“We have a political party structure, particularly those of us in the PDP. We opened our two arms to receive everybody. But thereafter we will sit down, consult and have a credible process of nominating who goes to the House of Assembly or National Assembly and who gets what, how, why and when.
“I earlier told members of my cabinet who have interest in any political offices to put in their resignation and I mean it. So, I’m using this occasion to re-emphasise it.
“This goes to all other political appointees be they Special Advisers, Technical Advisers or Senior Special Assistants. If you want to contest for any political office, please put in your resignation”, he said.
The governor thanked organisers of the annual KOLGA Thanksgiving Day, particularly the visioner, Apostle David Zilly-Aggrey.
In his goodwill message, the Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, called on Bayelsans to continue to pray for those in authority for God’s grace to enable them succeed, saying thanking God attracts positive growth to the state as there is power in the tongue.
In his sermon, Apostle David Zilly-Aggrey said God was still in the business of using mortals to bring His plans to pass and that this can be achieved if the people drew nearer to Him in prayers and thanksgiving.
Zilly-Aggrey, who doubles as President, Royal House of Grace Church International, noted that the annual KOLGA Thanksgiving Day was established by God and cannot be changed, admonishing the people to realise that every God-induced victory was not for an individual but for all, just as he stressed that those who spearheaded the battle should be the first partakers of the blessings.
The Tide reports that the programme witnessed a mamoth turnout of attendance, including the chairman, Bayelsa State Traditional Rulers Council and Amanyanabo of Twon-Brass, King Alfred Diette-Spiff, President of the Ijaw National Congress, Prof. Benjamin Okaba and other top government functionaries.
Others in attendance were clerics, comprising Bishop Winning Willie Bunting, state chairman of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Pastor Tam-Seth Eyedoude, South-South Vice President, Christian Association of Nigeria, Archbishop Israel Ege, among others.

By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa