Regard Bayelsa as home, Dickson tells non-indigenes

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Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has asked non-indigenes in the state to regard themselves as indigenes and feel at home.

Dickson stated this on Tuesday when the non-indigenes comprising the Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa communities residing in the state came together to endorse him for a second term.

The event which took place at the Peace Park in Yenagoa, the state capital, had in attendance about three thousand men and women who gave their support for the re-election bid of the governor.

Dickson, who was elated by the endorsement, said the non-indigenes were good people doing well in their various endeavours and should not harbour any form of discrimination.

The governor said, ““Regard Bayelsa as home. I always tell you people not to call yourselves non-indigenes. For me, you are all indigenes.

“Anybody living here, doing your business with your family, living life normally like Bayelsa people, especially being a Nigerian, we are all one.

“We welcome all our brothers and sisters here doing things normally in peace; you are all indigenes of Bayelsa State.”

Dickson acknowledged the support of the non-indigenes to his aspiration, saying he was aware that they had been supporting his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, which he also said was their party and should continue to do so.

He told the people not to be intimidated by the antics of the opposition but to come out on election day to cast their votes at their respective units and wait for the votes to be counted and results declared.

“I urge you all not to be intimidated by the antics of the opposition. This election is about Permanent Voter Cards. It is power to the people and, as such, you should not believe anybody who might be going about threatening to use power or force to intimidate you,” Dickson stated.

He said the opposition was no longer campaigning because they did not have any meaningful message to tell the people, noting that Bayelsa people had rejected them.

Earlier, Mr. Ferdinand Ozins, who spoke on behalf of the non-indigenes, said they came together to endorse Dickson because of his government’s sense of accommodation and the provision of security which had enabled them to live and work in peace in the state.

Ferdinand, who was one of the three appointees of the government at the forum, vowed that the non-indigenes would vote massively for the governor in the December 5 election.

Source: Punch