Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on Tuesday solicited the support of the governor of Bayelsa State for his ambition to run on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party as its presidential candidate in the 2019 general elections.
The PDP presidential aspirant was accompanied in the visit to Bayelsa State by a former Governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, who is the Director General of the Atiku Campaign Organisation, a former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Chief Godsday Orubebe and other top dignitaries.
Atiku commended Governor Dickson for the various developmental projects executed under his administrations in Bayelsa from 2012 to date.
The former Vice President who said that he had had long years of association with Bayelsa stated that no governor had achieved the exploits of Governor Dickson in the area of developing the state.
He commended the governor for the establishment of quality boarding schools, the construction of the multi billion Sagbama/Ekeremor Road, the International Cargo Airport, the Bayelsa State Health Insurance Scheme which he described the only functional health scheme in the country among others.
The highpoint of the visit was Atiku’s request for Governor Dickson’s support so that they could push for the actualization of the ongoing calls for the restructuring of the country.
He said, “I been associating with this state since the commencement of democratic governance in this country. There is no water ways that i have not traversed in the Niger Delta. There are very few Nigerians who are as knowledgeable and conversant with the Niger Delta as I am.
“No governor has achieved what Dickson has done in Nigeria. Boarding education, Sagbama/Ekeremor road, the only functional health insurance scheme in Nigeria, a world class diagnostic centre, the best executive complex built by a state government in Nigeria.
“I have been following you on restructuring. I have been an advocate of Restructuring since 2004. I invite you to join me in 2919 so that we can work together in that regard.”
In his remarks, Dickson commended the former Vice President for being consistent on the issue of restructuring.
He stressed that that it was the position of not only the people of Bayelsa but also the entire Ijaw Nation that the next election would be a referendum on restructuring.
Governor Dickson called for more cohesion and unity in the PDP to be able to win the next election and unseat the incumbent present.
The governor who described Bayelsa as the headquarters of the PDP in the country said that the All Progressives Congress was not only in tatters but was non existent in the state.
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