By John Odhe
The national leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Seriake Dickson says he will be on the neck of Peter Obi, the party’s presidential candidate, to develop the Niger Delta region if he becomes the president of the country in 2027.
Dickson, who is the incumbent senator representing Bayelsa West senatorial district, made the declaration during the official inauguration of the NDC state secretariat along the Isaac Boro Expressway in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital where flags where also presented to flagbearers.
The former governor of Bayelsa State said if Nigerians entrusted Obi with their votes, their lives would change for good, adding that the oil rich Niger Delta would be a priority of the government being a region feeding the nation.
He said working closely with Obi’s administration, if he won, he would ensure that all the major coastal states of the Niger Delta region would have deep seaports to enhance economic development.
Describing Obi as a Nigerian candidate, Dickson promised that NDC would make the proposed Agge Deep Seaport in Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa State a reality, noting that the NDC presidency would not appoint Bayelsans as what he described as ‘half ministers’ as being witnessed in the present federal government.
Expressing hope that his party candidates, including himself, would win elections in Bayelsa come 2027, the Toru-Orua born politician enjoined the electorate to resist intimidation and protect their votes, adding that Nigerians should vote out the APC led federal government which had brought hardship and pains to them.
Addressing a large crowd, the NDC presidential candidate, Obi assured that, if voted, he would move Nigeria from a consumption to a production nation and thereby create jobs for young Nigerians.
He promised to build an egalitarian society, where the son of ordinary Nigerian would not need a highly connected personality to make special recommendations before he could secure a job or whatever that is due him.
The Anambra born former governor vowed to fight corruption to a standstill, reiterating his commitment to turn the nation’s enormous wealth and manpower to prosperity for all.
“Today, we have a country that produces the highest number of poor people in the world. Today, we have a country where our people are hungry.
“Today, we have a country where if you fall sick, you run to the church to pray because we have no hospitals. We can only go to the church and pray to God to save you.
“We are saying today that the NDC is coming to build a new Nigeria that is possible. We want to move Nigeria from consumption to production. We will make Nigeria work again. We will secure Nigeria.
“We want a president that has the energy to run Nigeria; somebody who has capacity. This is a state that produces the oil that is sustaining the country but the president said he would not come here to campaign,” he said.
Obi challenged people to ask president Tinubu what he has been doing with their money and the ones he kept borrowing.
The NDC leaders where held to a grand reception at Dickson’s Toru-Orua home in Sagbama Local Government Area of the state amid a war boat regatta which symbolises strength in Ijaw traditional.
