Bayelsa Poll: Why Bayelsans Prefer Seriake Dickson To Timipre Sylva -By Tombra Dokubo

Upon assumption of Office as the Executive Governor of Bayelsa State in 2012, one thing was very clear to him. That is, the state deserves pity considering how it was left after the cumulatively five years, that Chief Timipre Sylva had held sway as the Chief Executive of the state. At that point, Governor Dickson informed Bayelsans, that, Bayelsa deserves pity. The state has been raped consistently within the period of the Sylva’s administration, Her wealth has been plundered and her dignity despoiled. Virtually all institutions have been run aground.

The failure of these institutions almost derailed the dreams of the founding father of Bayelsa State, it took a gradual and systematic process of mindless despoliation. The Sylva’s administration was obviously on a determined agenda to plunder, ruin and lay to waste. Bayelsan all bear the scar in broken education, non-existing health infrastructure, bad roads, power blackouts, widespread insecurity and shortened lives. What took years to destroy definitely cannot be fixed overnight. But that seems to be the noise around us. “Nothing is working under Dickson ” they chorus.

Every sector of the economy was run down by a rampaging regime of vampires. The carnage occasioned by the introduction of Operation Famou Tamgbe never mattered to its proponents. All that mattered was the money to make.
For all that I know, the Dickson’s administration has embarked on a slow but steady process of rebuilding Bayelsa. Prior to now, the critical infrastructures in the state are nothing but dilapidated structures; relics that reminded us of a distant past.

This story could be replicated in so many sectors, but today, a lot of these have been completed and others are at different levels of completion. Yet the nay sayers say “nothing is working.” “We never have it so bad.” When did we ever have it good?

For apostles of fake change, things will improve the moment they take office. Of course they know that they are lying through their teeth. But if lies could get them into power, why not lie? And, they have been lying to us since. The Dickson’s administration has refused to tow the line of least resistance. It has rolled up its sleeves, toiling on unperturbed by the noise of the market place. And, Bayelsans have seen a manifestation of his efforts in the past three years.

When Dickson became Governor in 2012, many of our roads were in terrible shape; travelling from Yenegoa to most parts of the State was akin to passing through the valley of the shadow of death. Huge craters dotted the highways and navigating the roads required all the focus, skill and prayers a driver could muster. The roads sucked blood on a daily basis. The Sylva’s administration simply approved billions for road construction; which disappeared without trace. Even the road to the birthplace of Chief Timipre Sylva was in such deplorable state that one would be pardoned if he thinks that he is in war-torn Sierra Leone or Somalia. Billions of naira appropriated for the roads was embezzled with impunity. Meanwhile, the road condition deteriorated to an extent where commuters several hours on the road.

We need to remind ourselves of where we were before Seriake Dickson, in order not to fall into the trap of joining a bandwagon of “we never had it so bad.” From Yengoa to several parts of the State, Bayelsa road have and are still being refurbished. More importantly, the refurbishing is done at cost far below what obtains at many of the APC-controlled states.

We are not where we should be. But we are definitely not static. Seriake Dickson is moving Bayelsa steadily in a positive direction. Long-lasting change requires careful and deliberate start. It is akin to an aircraft take off: it taxis, runs slowly on the runway, gathers speed and then take off. But once the aircraft reaches a desired altitude, it goes on auto-pilot.

We must also be discerning enough to identify government efforts. Lies from the pit of hell are being spun daily to raise the political temperature, create mass disenchantment and destabilize the polity. These are tools in the hand of a vicious power elite. The truth is that Bayelsa started on the path of reform under the leadership of Governor Dickson, in consolidation of the dreams of our founding fathers. Dickson embarked on a course that will inexorably ensure all these. But those threatened by the prospects of the rebirth are bent on thwarting the process. They are throwing all into the fight. As Election Day gets nearer, so will the battle get grimmer.

But the truth being something that will always be constant is that our people are not ready to return to the days of the locust, they are determined to retain the visionary Restoration government of Honourable Henry Seriake Dickson.

But a glorious morning beckons.

#BayelsaVotes