Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, has expressed concern over the arming of civilians by politicians during elections in the country, with the intention of manipulating the electoral process.
Senator Diri stated this on Sunday during a special retirement thanksgiving service in honour of Air Vice Marshal Nelson Calmday at the Living Faith Church of God at Akenfa-Epie, Yenagoa.
Senator Diri, who said the development portends grave danger to the country’s electoral system, noted that as a result of the trend, there was a general notion that the game of politics was synonymous with violence, corruption and dishonesty.
The governor said most decent people dread politics because of such notion.
He, however, dismissed the perception and rather encouraged such people, particularly Christians, to get actively involved in politics towards sanitising the electoral system.
Diri stressed the need for all stakeholders to join hands to work together to change the narrative for the sake of posterity.
Senator Diri, who also attended a thanksgiving service/children dedication of the member representing Yenagoa/Kolokuma Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Oforji Oboku, at the Church of God Mission, Yenizuegene, also condemned the incidence of vote-buying during elections.
In his remarks, Hon. Oforji Oboku revealed that he has a cordial relationship with the governor and has supported him from when he contested election into the House of Representatives, Senate and the governorship.
He appreciated Governor Diri for reciprocating the goodwill he gets from supporters.
Speaking during the unveiling of his hospitality facility, AVM Calmday thanked the governor for the relative peace in the state, saying that Bayelsa was one of the safest states to invest in the country.
The retired Air Force officer attributed his successful completion of 38 years of service and the facility to God, who he said saw him through several difficult moments.
This contain in a statement made public by Daniel Alabrah, Chief Press Secretary to the Bayelsa State Governor
